Election Watch Ghana is questioning the legality of the “Data Compilation Centre” which the Electoral Commission (EC) is intending to establish for the upcoming December elections.
The civil society group says the constitution does not permit the Commission to establish such a Centre looking at what’s contained in the Constitutional Instrument 127 which spells the operations of the EC.
Election Watch, in a statement issued Tuesday, November 26, 2024, indicated that the decision is in contravention with the constitutional provision asking Ghanaians not to countenance to circumvent the law governing the country’s electoral processes.
“According to the Public Elections Regulations, 2016 (C.I. 94) as amended C.I (127), the EC’s operations and duties are clearly outlined, and any deviation from these regulations is a violation of the law,” portions of the statement indicated.
It went on to urge the EC not to use Tuesday’s IPAC meeting to impose the decision on the political parties, stating that the Centre will only mar the December polls if it comes to being.
“We urge the Electoral Commission not to use the upcoming IPAC meeting to impose this unlawful decision on political parties. We remind them that the only legitimate places for counting and collating election results are the polling stations and constituency collation centers, as stipulated by law.
“Any attempts to introduce an unauthorized “Data Compilation Center” will be a recipe for chaos, violence, and destruction. We demand that the EC adheres to the law and respects the democratic process.
“We stand by the principles of transparency, accountability, and fairness, as enshrined in the Constitution of Ghana and the Public Elections Regulations, 2016 (C.I. 94) as amended (C.I. 127),” it stated.
