In a significant legal ruling, High Court Judge Justice Forson Agyapong has ordered the Electoral Commission (EC) to recollate the votes for the Techiman South parliamentary constituency. This directive comes after the New Patriotic Party (NPP) candidate, Adjei Mensah Korsah, successfully sought a writ of Mandamus to force the completion of the electoral process.
The judge’s decision was part of a series of judgments addressing disputes over parliamentary seats from the recent elections. Justice Agyapong highlighted that the EC had not completed the collation of results, noting there are still 147 polling stations whose votes have not been accounted for in the final tally.
The court found that despite demands placed on the EC to act, no steps had been taken to finalize the collation. Consequently, the judge mandated the EC to promptly collate the votes from these stations and integrate them with the previously counted results.
To ensure the process is carried out without disruption, the High Court has also instructed the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to provide sufficient security measures, specifically armed personnel, to oversee the recollation and subsequent declaration of the winner.
This ruling affects the ongoing contest between Dr. Christopher Bayere of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and Adjei Mensah Korsah of the NPP, potentially altering the outcome for the Techiman South seat.
This decision underscores the judiciary’s role in upholding electoral integrity, ensuring that every vote is accounted for, and reflects the will of the electorate. The EC is now under legal obligation to act decisively, with the eyes of both political parties and the public keenly watching the next steps.