Court gives clearance to LMVCA to picket at EC
An Accra Circuit court has given clearance for organisers of the Let My Vote Count Alliance (LMVCA) to go ahead with a planned demonstration on Tuesday September 29, 2015, as part of efforts to impress on the Electoral Commission (EC) to compile a fresh voter's register.
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The group intends to picket at the EC arguing that, the the voter's register in its present form was fraught with anomalies which should not be used for Ghana's next general elections in 2016.
A similar planned demonstration and picketing at the EC two weeks ago was thwarted as the police secured a court order to prevent the group from going near the EC head office.
Rather, they were to go on the protest march and congregate at the Hearts Park, where they were to present their petition to a representative from the EC.
But the demonstration turned bloody after the protesters veered off the approved route and the police used force to control them resulting in brutalities.
Monday mornings ruling by the court means that the demonstrators can now picket at the premises of the Electoral Commission (EC).
The exparte injunction secured by the Police had elapsed its 10 day lawful existence.
Last week, the group announced it was "fighting" the injunction secured by the police to enable them embark on another march to present their petition to the EC.
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In an interview, legal practitioner, Gabby Otchere Darko, said, the demonstration would be a peaceful one and expressed the hope that the police would give the demonstrators the needed protection.
“I am very confident that it will be peaceful. I think the Electoral Commission has nothing to hide and so they should allow this picketing to go ahead,” he said.
He explained that the group would stick to the initial plan of picketing around the vicinity of the EC while some leaders would walk to the offices of the EC to present their petition.
Meanwhile, the police has said it would not be able to provide protection for members of the group on Tuesday since its officers would be engaged in an operational exercise.
But convener for LMVC, David Asante said the demonstration would go on.
He said, “We are a law abiding group and that is how come we came to court to get the court backing to do what is right. Now that we have the court backing, it becomes incumbent of the police to provide protection and security.”
“They have to explain the problem they have with the court. If the police think they are logistically constrained, they should come to the court and explain to the court,” he said.