An Accra High Court has rejected the interlocutory injunction, the Progressive People’s Party (PPP) is seeking, freeing the hands of the Electoral Commission (EC) to accept the filing fees of presidential and parliamentary aspirants which pending the court’s ruling they had refused to take although aspirants were allowed to file their papers.
The PPP argues the GH¢50,000 and GH¢10,000 filing fees the EC requires presidential and parliamentary aspirants to pay is not captured in the regulations of the EC conducting the 2016 election, rendering it unconstitutional for which reason it seeks the court to bar the commission from demanding same.
It therefore sued the Electoral Commission and the government through the Attorney General but the ruling of the court today throwing out the interlocutory injunction paving the way for the EC to receive its funds will be welcome news for Madam Charlotte Osei and her colleagues who expressed fear, the injunction could derail the scheduled polls.
PPP’s Policy Advisor, Kofi Asamoah SiawÂ
PPP’s Policy Advisor, Kofi Asamoah Siaw acknowledged their application for the injunction failed with October 11, set for hearing of the substantive case to ascertain if the EC had the power to charge the respective fees which was increased astronomically.
“Even if we pay the filing fees and the court rules the charge as unconstitutional, we get to take our money,†he noted.
Counsel representing the EC, Thaddeus Sory Esq for his part reiterated that the commission had the power to charge the filing fees as it deemed fit especially when parties who reach a certain vote threshold get their fees refunded.
Â
Kofi Asamoah Siaw meanwhile says the PPP will hold a crunch meeting today to brainstorm as to how it would finance the filing fees amounting to GH¢2.8m of its presidential and parliamentary aspirants across the country stating going for a loan facility is on the table.