The Legal Section of the National Elections Commission (NEC) has presented a draft proposed hearing procedures document to the seven-member Board of Commissioners (BOC) for endorsement. The ceremony took place in Ganta, Nimba County, at the end of a three-day deliberation which commenced on Monday, October 18, 2021. The National Elections Commission streamlined its hearing procedure aiming to conform to timeframe for hearing of election cases within the constitution and other statues as a matter of law.
NEC Chairperson, Davidetta Browne Lansanah, received the draft hearing procedure on behalf of the Commission and 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 the Commission.
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 ruling by the NEC were 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 from 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 November 16, 2021 representative by-elections to be in Bong, Bomi, Grand Gedeh and Nimba counties. Thirty-five 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.