IEA To EC: �Maintain And Enforce The N.V.N.V. Rule (No Verification, No Vote)�

In series 4, of the IEA Electoral Reform Project we discuss Recommendation Four (4). Under this, The IEA is calling on the Electoral Commission to maintain and enforce the provision in the electoral regulations which states that �no verification, no vote.� This means that there must be authentication of finger prints before a person is allowed to vote. However, having regard to the third world conditions that prevail in Ghana, there will be challenges with technology for some time to come. In this regard, there is likely to be recurrent instances of qualified voters not being bio-metrically verified due to failure of technology. Notwithstanding the need to maintain and enforce the N.V.N.V. rule, we should also think of amending CI.75 to provide for a window of opportunity for a qualified voter who cannot, due to no fault of his, be verified to be enabled to vote. This may take the form of the Presiding Officers as well as all Candidates or their Representatives signing a verification document to enable the voter to vote. The IEA therefore call on the Electoral Commission to as a matter of urgency, initiate appropriate steps to revise our electoral rules, particularly C.I 75 to create a window of opportunity for those who through no fault of theirs cannot be verified. This window should not in anyway undermine the rigid enforcement of the N.V.N.V. rule. Again, every effort should be made to improve upon the equipment and technology.