GRACE AYENSU-DANQUAH vs. JOE GHARTEY AND ELECTORAL COMMISSION [2022]DLHC11636

Date	2022-05-27
Suit No.	SUIT NO: E12/12/21
Citation No.	[2022]DLHC11636

HIS LORDSHIP JUSTICE DR. RICHMOND OSEI-HWERE J.

DAVID AMETEFE ESQ: FOR PETITIONER/APPLICANT

FRANK DAVIES ESQ FOR 1STRESPONDENT/RESPONDENT.

EMMANUEL ADDAI ESQ FOR 2NDRESPONDENT/RESPONDENT.

[2022]DLHC11636
																																						<div class="restriction-wrapper">
														<div class="container-lg">
															<div class="row">
																<div class="col-md-12 restricted-content">
																	<div class="restricted-content-img-wrapper">
																		<div class="lock-icon bounce-7">
																			<img class=""
																				src="https://www.dennislawgh.com/dl-assets/dl-images/lock-content.png"
																				alt="Subscription based content">
																		</div>
																	</div>
																	 
																		<a href="https://www.dennislawgh.com/login"
																		class="btn btn-primary btn-lg"
																		style="font-family: 'open sans'; text-transform: capitalize; border-radius: 8px"> 
																		Login to Read Full Case </a>
																	 
																	
																</div>
															</div>
														</div>
													</div>
													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >IN THE MATTER OF SECTION 16 OF THE
REPRESENTATION OF THE PEOPLE ACT, 1992 {PNDCL 284} AS AMENDED<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;AND<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;IN THE MATTER OF PARLIAMENTARY ELECTION FOR
THE ESSIKADO KETAN CONSTITUENCY HELD ON 7TH DECEMBER, 2020.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;&nbsp;BETWEEN<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;GRACE AYENSU-DANQUAH<o:p></o:p>(PETITIONER/APPLICANT)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>JOE GHARTEY AND ELECTORAL COMMISSION<o:p></o:p>(RESPONDENT/RESPONDENT)<o:p></o:p>[HIGH COURT, SEKONDI]<o:p></o:p><div style="border-top: none; border-right: none; border-left: none; border-image: initial; border-bottom-width: 1.5pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; padding: 0cm 0cm 1pt;">

SUIT NO: E12/12/21&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:
27TH MAY, 2022<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL<o:p></o:p>DAVID AMETEFE ESQ:
FOR PETITIONER/APPLICANT<o:p></o:p>FRANK DAVIES ESQ FOR
1STRESPONDENT/RESPONDENT. <o:p></o:p><div style="border-top: none; border-right: none; border-left: none; border-image: initial; border-bottom-width: 1.5pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; padding: 0cm 0cm 1pt;">

<p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-add-space:auto;text-align:justify;line-height:normal;border:none;
mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">EMMANUEL ADDAI ESQ
FOR 2NDRESPONDENT/RESPONDENT.<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM<o:p></o:p>HIS
LORDSHIP JUSTICE DR. RICHMOND OSEI-HWERE J.<o:p></o:p><div style="border-top-width: 1.5pt; border-top-color: windowtext; border-left: none; border-bottom-width: 1.5pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-right: none; padding: 1pt 0cm;">

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;
text-align:center;border:none;mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:1.0pt 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">RULING<o:p></o:p>

</div>&nbsp;This
application filed by the petitioner herein is praying for an order for scrutiny
directed at the 2nd Respondent/Respondent to produce for
verification the following documents and materials:<o:p></o:p>i.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; All
Biometric Verification Machines/Devices (BVDs) used in all polling station in
Essikado-Ketan Constituency on 7th December, 2020.<o:p></o:p>ii.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Certified
print-outs from the said BVDs to ascertain the number of Voters verified using
the BVDs.<o:p></o:p>iii.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; All
Manual Verification Forms used as recorded in column C6 on Form Eight “A”
(Statement of Poll for the Office of Member of Parliament).<o:p></o:p>iv.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; All
original Form Eight A for all polling stations for comparison with the copies
given to the Petitioner’s Agents.<o:p></o:p>v.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Original
copies of Parliamentary Elections Result Collation Form (Form One C),
Parliamentary Elections Result Summary Form (Form One D), Form One B (Writ
stating name of winner) and Gazette Publication of the Member Elected.<o:p></o:p>vi.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Evidence
of Publication of the Parliamentary Election Results at the Constituency
Collation Centre.<o:p></o:p>It
is palpably clear that some of the documents under consideration are required to
be given to candidates or agents of candidates who participated in the
parliamentary elections under the Public Election Regulations, 2020 (CI 127).
Form One C, Form One D and Form One B are all given to candidates or their
representatives under Regulation 43 of CI 127. Petitioner is not saying that
duplicate copies of these documents were not given to her agents. In fact, the
2nd Respondent has attached the Form One C and Form One D to its
witness statement filed on 23rd December, 2021.<o:p></o:p>2nd
Respondent also deposed to the fact that duplicate copies of Form Eight A were
given to the polling agents of the candidates including agents of the
Petitioner. A fact which has not been denied by the Petitioner.<o:p></o:p>In
the case of In re Presidential Election Petition; Akufo-Addo &amp; Others (No
3) v Electoral Commission (Mahama &amp; National Democratic Congress Interested
Parties) (No 3) [2013] SCGLR (Special Edition) 70, the Supreme Court speaking
through Adinyira JSC held that:<o:p></o:p>“It
is our thinking that where a party is already in possession of a copy of a
document mentioned in another party’s pleadings, it is unnecessary to apply or
for the court to make an order for inspection and making copies of the document
in question. By virtue of the evidence Act, 1975 (NRCD 323), s 166, the
duplicate copies of the documents are admissible to the same extent as the
originals in the custody of the second respondent Electoral Commission.”<o:p></o:p>See
also<o:p></o:p><p</main>