The National Elections Commission, (NEC) Legal Section has presented a draft Proposed Hearing Procedures document to the seven-member -Board of Commissioners, (BOC) for endorsement.
The ceremony took place in Ganta City, Nimba County at the end of a three-day deliberation which commenced on Monday, 18th October 2021. The National Elections Commission streamlined its hearing procedure aiming to conform to the timeframe for hearing of election cases within the constitution and other statutes as a matter of law.
NEC Chairperson, Madam Davidetta Browne Lansanah received the draft hearing procedures on behalf of the Commission, promised a critical review and consultation before endorsement by the BOC.
It can be recalled that after the conduct of the 2020 Special Senatorial Elections and Referendum, the NEC faced numerous challenges that led to the slow adjudication of cases by the Commission. Â
Speaking at the presentation ceremony, former Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Liberia, M. Wilkins Wright reminded the Commission that it has set a high standard for conducting elections, after hearing and disposing of 15 electoral cases 14, of which ruled by the NEC, was upheld by the Supreme Court of Liberia, following the conduct of the 2020 Special Senatorial Elections and Referendum.
The Ministry of Justice, through Deputy Minister Cllr. Nyenati Tuan also providing technical support as part of the collaboration with the NEC, admonished NEC to continue to operate within the confines of the law.
The NEC Legal Section, with funding by the Commission, is conducting the 4-day Legal Forum focusing on the Proposed Hearing Procedures, Election Cases, and Training in Ganta, in Nimba County, ahead of the conduct on the 16 November 2021 Representative By-elections to be in Bong, Bomi, Grand Gedeh, and Nimba Counties. 35 participants including BOC members, the former Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Liberia, M. Wilkins Wright, Deputy Justice Minister, Cllr. Nyenati Tuan and Senior Technicians of NEC are participating in the Ganta Legal Forum
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