JANET NAAKARLEY AMEGATCHER vs. THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL AND THE ELECTORAL COMMISSION [2012]DLSC2631

Date	2012-07-26
Suit No.	CIVIL APPEAL NO. J1/8/2012
Citation No.	[2012]DLSC2631

ATUGUBA J.S.C. (PRESIDING)

AKUFFO(MS.) J.S.C.

DATE-BAH J.S.C.

ADINYIRA (MRS.)J.S.C.

ANIN-YEBOAH J.S.C.

GBADEGB

J.S.C.

AKOTO-BAMFO (MRS) J.S.C.

NENE AMEGATCHER [WITH HIM MRS. VICTORIA BATH DOMINIC BRENYA

OTCHERE KWASI KELLY DELATA AND MELLESA AMARTEIFIO] FOR THE PLAINTIFF.

SYLVESTER WILLIAMS FOR THE 1ST DEFENDANT.

JAMES QUASHIE – IDUN [WITH HIM ANTHONY DABI] FOR THE 2ND DEFENDANT.

[2012]DLSC2631
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >JANET
NAAKARLEY AMEGATCHER<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>THE
ATTORNEY-GENERAL AND THE ELECTORAL COMMISSION<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">

CIVIL APPEAL NO. J1/8/2012&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;DATE: 26TH JULY, 2012<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>NENE
AMEGATCHER [WITH HIM MRS. VICTORIA BATH, DOMINIC BRENYA OTCHERE, KWASI KELLY
DELATA AND MELLESA AMARTEIFIO] FOR THE PLAINTIFF.<o:p></o:p>SYLVESTER
WILLIAMS 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">

JAMES
QUASHIE – IDUN [WITH HIM ANTHONY DABI] 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;
padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">

ATUGUBA
J.S.C. (PRESIDING), AKUFFO(MS.) J.S.C., DATE-BAH J.S.C., ADINYIRA (MRS.)J.S.C.,
ANIN-YEBOAH J.S.C., GBADEGB, J.S.C., AKOTO-BAMFO (MRS) J.S.C.<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">

JUDGEMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>DR. DATE-BAH JSC;<o:p></o:p>The plaintiff’s writ invoking the original jurisdiction of this
Court, filed on 6th February, 2012, was originally issued against
the Attorney-General, the Speaker of Parliament, the Electoral Commission and
the Minister of Local Government.&nbsp; By a
ruling on 9th May, 2012, however, this Court struck out the Speaker
of Parliament and the Minister of Local Government, relying on article 88(5) of
the 1992 Constitution.&nbsp; Accordingly, the
reliefs set out in the plaintiff’s writ are now against the Attorney-General as
first defendant and the Electoral Commission as second defendant.&nbsp; Those reliefs are as follows:<o:p></o:p><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:150%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;
mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;">i.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
“A declaration that section 1(2) of the Local
Government Act, 1993 (Act 462) which provides that the President may declare an
area a district and assign a name to the district by executive instrument is
inconsistent with article 241 (2) and 106 (1) of the 1992 Constitution and is
consequently void.<o:p></o:p><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:150%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;
mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;">ii.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
An order restraining the President from making
any executive instrument pursuant to section 1 (2) of the Local Government Act,
1993 (Act 462) or pursuant to any other section or provision in any enactment.<o:p></o:p><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:150%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;
mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;">iii.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
A declaration that section 1 (3) and section 2
of the Local Government Act, 1993 (Act 462) which provides that the President
shall in the exercise of the power under subsection 2 (a) of section 1 of the
Local Government Act, 1993 (Act 462) direct the Electoral Commission and or
request the Electoral Commission to review areas of authority of unit
committees, town, area, zonal, urban and sub-metropolitan district councils and
districts, municipal and metropolitan assemblies and make such recommendations
as it considers appropriate to the President is inconsistent with articles 45,
46, 241 (2) and 106 (1) of the 1992 Constitution and is consequently void.<o:p></o:p>