Source: newsthemegh.com
Dr. Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, the former chairman of the Electoral Commission, has proposed punitive fines for those whose election petitions are rejected by the legal system.
The intention is to expedite the resolution of electoral disputes and deter the filing of pointless petitions.
Dr. Afari-Gyan claimed that punishing those who lose their election petitions would act as a deterrence during his speech at the Constitutional Day Public Lecture.
The plan, which was presented at the event hosted by the One Ghana Movement and UPSA Law School, aims to stop people from filing lawsuits too quickly over election-related issues.
The necessity of a more streamlined and effective election dispute settlement system was emphasized by Dr. Afari-Gyan.
He feels that by proposing punitive sanctions for petitioners who are unsuccessful, people would be deterred from filing lawsuits without good reason, which would lead to a more responsible use of the legal system.
“It appears that some candidates rush to court with election petitions alleging manipulation of results, primarily to placate their financiers and supporters so that they will be given another chance to be a candidate in the next elections,” he reiterated.
He also voiced worries about the strain and possible harm to the courts’ reputation that comes with receiving so many swift petitions.
He gave Nigeria as an example and recommended that action be taken in Ghana to avert similar occurrences.
“The rush can cause undeserved injury to the reputation of the Electoral Commission and unnecessary inundation of the court. As we speak, there are over one thousand election petitions before the courts in Nigeria following the 2023 elections, and some of them will not be concluded before the next election.
“To prevent the rush to court with improbable election petitions from becoming a fashion, I suggest that election petitions that do not succeed should attract punitive sanctions,” he added.