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A private legal practitioner, Lawyer David Annan has described as not mandatory the directive of the Supreme Court urging the Electoral Commission (EC) to consult parties to clean up the voters’ register.

He argued on the fact that the Electoral Commission (EC) like Auditor General, CHRAJ, Chief Justice and the Judiciary are independent bodies which perform their duties independently without any interference.

Speaking on Okay FM’s 'Ade Akye Abia' Morning Show, lawyer David Annan insisted the Electoral Commission is not constitutionally bound to consult anybody even though the Supreme Court in its ruling instructed the EC to consult the parties to clean up the voters’ register, describing it as "reasonably inaccurate".

“They are bound to consult the parties; even with IPAC, there is no law binding its activities on the Commission . .  .EC only listens to suggestions of IPAC; what the Supreme Court said about consulting the parties is not an order but advise and so EC is not capable of being enforced,” he argued.

He again posited that since the consultation in the Supreme Court ruling is not an order, the Electoral Commission (EC) cannot be forced to comply; thus anybody going back to court to say EC didn’t follow the order will be done in vain.

Lawyer David Annan was emphatic that saying “it is up to EC to consult the parties on how to clean up the voters’ register bridled by ghost names, minors, foreigners and persons with NHIS cards.”

He insisted the Electoral Commission (EC) can choose to ignore the suggestions of the NPP, NDC, CPP, PNC, PPP and others because by the law, the Commission is independent, the same way the Supreme Court and other state institutions like Auditor General, CHRAJ, Chief Justice and Judiciary are independent bodies.

He however hinted that the EC is already dealing with the ghost names in the voters’ register as it has written to the various district assemblies to release all names recorded in the death register to help clean up the voters’ register before the 2016 November 7 polls.

“Some of us know that the ruling of the Supreme Court is exactly what the Electoral Commission is doing,” he opined.