By Bruce Asemota
Justice Basirou V.P. Mahoney, Judge of the Gambia Court of Appeal yesterday presided over the suit filed by three applicants; Gambia Participates, Abdou Aziz Gaye and Centre for Research and Policy Development against the mayor of Banjul, the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) and the Attorney General.
The suit seeks amongst others for a High Court declaration that the actions of the mayor of Banjul in issuing attestations to constituents of the City of Banjul in the ongoing Independent Electoral Commission general registration of voters are in contravention of Section 12 (2) (e) of the Electoral Act.
The applicants also seek a declaration that the actions of the IEC in conferring the power to the office of the mayor of Banjul to administer attestations form generated by the IEC for the purpose of claiming voter cards in the city of Banjul are in contravention of Section 12 92) (e) of the Elections Act.
The suit further wants a court order to quash the decision of the IEC to bestow upon the mayor of Banjul the powers and authority to issue attestation to the constituents of the city of Banjul as well as an order to set aside all attestations forms endorsed and or issued by the mayor of Banjul for which voter cards were issued by the IEC that were supported by attestation forms issued and or endorsed by the mayor of Banjul.
The presiding Judge, Basirou V.P.Mahoney ordered the respondents to file or present their affidavits in opposition to the application filed by the applicants latest on Friday, 2nd July, 2021 and the matter was adjourned to Monday, 5th July, 2021 for hearing at 1.30pm.
