Supreme Court Was Wrong With Parliamentary Quorum Ruling – Dr Obed Asamoah
Supreme Court ruled Deputy Speaker of Parliament can be counted during the formation of a quorum
Dr. Obed Yao Asamoah, a former Attorney General and Foreign Affairs Minister, has given his view on the recent Supreme Court ruling that affirmed the voting right of a Deputy Speaker while presiding in the Parliament.
Speaking in an interview on Joy News on Monday, March 21, 2022, he questioned why the Parliamentary Standing Orders were declared ultra vires.
“The individual can take that position and it is intra vires but in the collective, in their power to regulate the proceedings of Parliament, they have that absolute power. They say look we are deciding collectively that if you are a Deputy Speaker, you don’t have the what? How can that be ultra vires? I don’t understand,” Dr. Asamoah said.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday, March 9, ruled that a Deputy Speaker of Parliament can be counted during the formation of a quorum for parliamentary decision-making and participation in voting while presiding.
The landmark judgement was given after private legal practitioner, Justice Abdulai, filed a case against the Attorney-General to contest the First Deputy Speaker, Joseph Osei-Owusu’s decision to count himself during a vote to approve the 2022 budget.
The verdict by the Supreme Court has left the two leading political parties – NPP, NDC – deeply divided with the Minority Leader in Parliament, saying that the ruling is likely to exacerbate the existing tension in Parliament.
Source:peacefmonline
