Yesterday, the Supreme Court in its rulings said a Deputy Speaker is entitled to be counted for the purposes quorum and does not lose voting right in the matter of decision making.
The Supreme Court’s ruling was met with some outrage and was subsequently heavily criticised by the opposition National Democratic Congress who sought to explain that, the Supreme departed from its own ruling in the popular Tuffour v Attorney-General case.
They equally lashed out the Supreme Court (S.C) for what they say is an interference into Parliamentary Business.
But a Law Student, Michael Adongo who spoke on Daybreak Upper East Show on A1 Radio explained that, the Tuffour v Attorney case was a different case and had no bearing on the recent one.
According to Mr. Adongo, the Constitution stipulates that any other law which shall be inconsistent with the Constitution and to the extent of inconsistency shall be declared null and void. Therefore, the Supreme Court did not interfere in Parliament Business but only struck out a Standing Order.
He further argued that the Justice Ernest Nee Pobee Sowah Tuffour v Attorney-General case refrained from going through Parliamentary records because that would have amounted to an interference of Parliamentary Business but in this case the Supreme Court only went through the Standing Orders of Parliament and nullified Order 109(3).
He stated, “the Supreme Court in Exercising its Jurisdiction in interpreting and enforcing the constitution can declare any other law, including Parliamentary Standing Orders, as null and void that other law”.
He, therefore, appealed to the opposition National Democratic Congress and the public should to exercise some decorum in their opinions on the SC Ruling.
Meanwhile, Director of Legal Affairs of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Lawyer Abraham Amaliba has revealed that the ruling on the case involving the voting rights and counting of the Deputy Speakers to form a quorum and in decision making could result in chaos in Parliament during its implementation.
A1radioonline.com|101.1 MHz|Kennedy Zongbil|Bolgatanga|Ghana
