In Liberia, supreme court hears case on constitutionality of national elections commission’s biometric voter registration

The Supreme Court of Liberia will [on 4 April] hear a case filed by the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP) accusing the National Elections Commission of violating the country's constitution over the conduct of the ongoing biometric voter registration. The case centers around the legal authority of the electoral body to conduct voter registration without first demarcating electoral districts to reflect the current changes in the country’s population. [...] Article 80 (e), which the CPP suit is primarily based on provides that "immediately following a national census and before the next elections, the Elections Commission shall reapportion the constituencies in accordance with the new population figures so that every constituency shall have as close to the same population…" Article 80(c) among other things grants that every Liberian citizen has the right to be registered and vote only in the constituency where they are registered. “We have, therefore, asked the Supreme Court to demand that the NEC obeys the Constitution, and not permit violations of provisions of the Constitution relating to the elections, without acting to correct such violations. If we permit one violation, we risk permitting others, including the timely conduct of the elections,” the CPP said in its complaint.
Read the full article here: Daily Observer