NII TETTEH OPREMREH vs. THE ELECTORAL COMMISSION AND THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL [2011]DLSC4102

Date	2011-12-07
Suit No.	WRIT NO. J1/3/2011
Citation No.	[2011]DLSC4102

ANSAH (PRESIDING)

ADINYIRA (MRS) JSC

OWUSU (MS) JSC

DOTSE JSC

YEOBAH JSC

B.BONNIE ARYEETEY JSC

GBADEGBE JSC

A. BAMFO (MRS) JSC

MR. PETER OKUDZETO (WITH HIM LYDIA ASANTE) FOR THE PLAINTIFF.

MR. JAMES QUARSHIE – IDUN (WITH HIM ANTHONY DABI) FOR THE 1ST DEFENDANT.

MR. SYLVESTER WILLIAMS (PRINCIPAL STATE ATTORNEY) FOR THE 2ND DEFENDANT.

[2011]DLSC4102
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >NII TETTEH OPREMREH<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>THE ELECTORAL COMMISSION AND THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;[SUPREME COURT, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">

WRIT NO. J1/3/2011&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;DATE: 7TH
DECEMBER, 2011<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>MR. PETER OKUDZETO (WITH HIM LYDIA
ASANTE) FOR THE PLAINTIFF.<o:p></o:p>MR. JAMES QUARSHIE – IDUN (WITH HIM
ANTHONY DABI) FOR THE 1ST DEFENDANT.<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">

MR. SYLVESTER WILLIAMS
(PRINCIPAL STATE ATTORNEY) FOR THE 2ND DEFENDANT.<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM: <o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
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ANSAH (PRESIDING), ADINYIRA (MRS) JSC, OWUSU (MS)
JSC, DOTSE JSC, YEOBAH JSC, B.BONNIE ARYEETEY JSC, GBADEGBE JSC, AND A. BAMFO
(MRS) JSC<o:p></o:p>

</div><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">

JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>GBADEGBE JSC:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>My
Lords, by the writ of summons herein, the plaintiffs seek from us in the
exercise of our original jurisdiction the following reliefs.<o:p></o:p>1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; A declaration that the Local Government (Creation
of New Districts Electoral Areas and Designation of Units) Instrument, 2010, LI
1983, which purportedly came into force on 24th November 2010 is
unconstitutional and therefore null and void.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>2.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;An order
restraining the 3rd defendant, its agents and assigns from in any
way, using the new electoral areas created under the schedule to LI 1983 for
the District Assembly Elections, scheduled for 28th December 2010.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>3.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;A
declaration that on the expiration of 21 parliamentary sitting days, the
original copy of LI 1983, which was laid before Parliament on 19thOctober,
2010 automatically came into force in accordance with article 11(7) of the
Constitution, 1992.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>4.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;An order
directed at the 3rd defendant to use only the original copy of LI
1983 as laid before Parliament on 19thOctober, 2010 to conduct the
District Assembly Elections, scheduled for 28th December, 2010.<o:p></o:p>In
the course of the proceedings, the plaintiffs discontinued against the 1st
defendant and, at the direction of the Court, 2nddefendant was
struck out leaving the Electoral Commission and the Attorney-General as the
only defendants. In this regard, the Electoral Commission became the first
defendant and the Attorney General, the second defendant. From the processes
filed before us by the parties to the action herein, there does not appear to
be any conflict on the facts. What is in contention for our determination
turning on those facts is a simple question of law. The said question is
whether Parliament in the exercise of its functions under article 11.7 of the
1992 Constitution may effect changes to any instrument laid before it? This
requires a careful reading not only of Article 11.7 of the 1992 Constitution
but also other provisions of the constitution that deal with the law making
power of Parliament. Reference is made to the speech of Acquah JSC (as he then
was) in the case of NMC v
Attorney-General [2000] SCGLR 1 at 11 as follows:<o:p></o:p>