Ghana: Nov. 7 election date: Bill to amend Constitution gazetted

A draft bill seeking to amend the 1992 Constitution to move the constitutionally mandated December 7 date for presidential and parliamentary elections to the first Monday in November of every election year has been gazetted. 

There are concerns that this year’s polls may not take place on November 7, as proposed, because of time constraints. 

In an interview with the Daily Graphic in Accra, the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Mrs Marietta Brew Appiah-Opong, said an amendment to the 1992 Constitution was required before Ghanaians could cast their ballots on November 7, 2016.

She said to amend a non-entrenched provision of the 1992 Constitution, there must be two publications. 

Accordingly, she noted, the first Gazette notification announcing the publication of the bill was published on March 9, 2016. 

The second publication would be done on June 9, 2016 – three months after the first publication. 

Mrs Appiah-Opong explained that 10 days after the second publication, the Speaker of Parliament was expected to refer the bill to the Council of State, which in turn has within 30 days to refer the bill back to Parliament. 

“The Council of State has within 30 days and can, therefore, refer the bill back to Parliament in less than 30 days,” she explained. 

She stated that based on the timelines, the Electoral Commission (EC) could go ahead with plans for the November 7, 2016 polls

Source: Daily Graphic || Ghana