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Dr Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, Chairman of the Electoral Commission (EC), has appeared in court for the hearing of the substantive case of the election petition. Last Wednesday at the Supreme Court sitting, Mr Justice Jones Dotse asked about the whereabouts of the EC Chairman. The court raised concerns that he (Afari-Gyan) as the Returning Officer of the presidential election, had not been seen in court and had not also filed a single affidavit. The EC Chairman responded he will appear in court for the hearing of the substantive case. Responding the EC Chairman said his presence in court during the preliminary stages of the petition was not very material. He denied media claims that he has been hiding from the Supreme Court and stated that he will appear before the court at the appropriate time explaining that the court was initially dealing with preliminary matters and that he would personally be at the Supreme Court when hearing of the substantive issues started. Security has been also beefed up security in and around the premises of the Supreme Court. Hearing is in progress. Three leading members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the party�s 2012 presidential candidate; his running mate, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, and the NPP National Chairman, Mr Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, have filed a petition at the Supreme Court challenging the declaration of President John Mahama as the winner of the 2012 presidential election. After nine sittings to consider and rule on more than 20 interlocutory applications filed by parties in the case, the Supreme Court, on April 2, 2013, set April 16, 2013 for hearing of the substantive petition.