Former President John Mahama has criticised the Supreme Court’s decision that Deputy Speakers of Parliament can vote even when they are presiding as Speaker.
In a tweet, he described it as “shocking but not surprising”.
Mr. Mahama said it was “an unfortunate interpretation for convenience that sets a dangerous precedent of judicial interference in Parliamentary procedure for the future.”
The landmark judgment was given in a case brought by a law professor, Justice Abdulai, who was contesting the Deputy Speaker’s decision to count himself as forming a quorum for a vote on the budget.
The judgment backed the position of the First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Joseph Osei Owusu, who defended his decisive vote in the approval of the 2022 budget, although he was presiding as Speaker.
The Court also struck down order 109 (3) of the Standing Orders of Parliament, describing it as unconstitutional.
On November 30, last year, Mr. Osei-Owusu, also the Bekwai MP, presided over the overturning of an earlier vote of the House rejecting the government’s 2022 Budget.
