Deputy Speakers voting: Bagbin urges petitioner to file for review

Everyone knows that Parliament is not above the law

Supreme Court decides Joe Wise can vote while presiding

Court strikes out private legal practitioner writ

The speaker of Parliament has advised Justice Abdulai, the petitioner who requested for the determination of the voting rights of Deputy Speakers to file for a review

Read full articleafter a Supreme Court ruling. On March 9, 2022, the Supreme Court ruled that a Deputy Speaker of Parliament presiding over proceedings in Parliament has the right to be counted in decision making and has the right to participate in voting.

The court presided over by Justice Jones Dotse held that, the Deputy Speaker does not lose his right to take part in decision-making upon a true and proper interpretation of Article 103 and 104 of the 1992 Constitution.

The unanimous decision was taken after the court dismissed a writ by a law lecturer, Justice Abdulai, who was challenging the decision of Mr. Owusu to be counted as part of the quorum to pass the -budget.

Reacting to this development, the Speaker wrote on his Facebook page,

“The issue being discussed is the political question doctrine. It took centuries to detail out the strands of this doctrine and the principles are settled as to when and how this closed book could be opened. Please, I encourage the Plaintiff to go for a review of the Supreme Court ruling,” he wrote.

Below is his statement:

The impartiality of the Speaker, Deputy Speaker or Presiding Officer has been treasured and fought for by this country throughout our democratic development. Mr President, the issue being discussed is unfortunately, not about Parliament being above the law. Everyone knows that Parliament is not above the law. The Executive and the Judiciary are equally not above the law. The issue being discussed is the political question doctrine. It took centuries to detail out the strands of this doctrine and the principles are settled as to when and how this closed book could be opened. Please, I encourage the Plaintiff to go for a review of the Supreme Court ruling.