Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, the Member of Parliament for South Dayi, has expressed worry at the Supreme Court’s decision to adjourn the hearing of the anti-LGBTQ+ bill indefinitely.
The South Dayi MP said that given the high public interest in the case and the specific request for an expedited hearing, the court should have given a definite date for the parties to return.
“I got worried by the adjournment sine die on grounds that matters such as these that have high public interest and also being heard pursuant to a specific request…the court ordinarily would have adjourned to a specific date, then give a timeline to parties who have been directed by the court to file processes to do so,” he stated on Eyewitness News with Selorm Adonoo.
Mr Dafeamekpor explained that there are implications if parliament were to be dissolved before the hearing concludes.
He argued that a bill is considered complete once it has passed through parliament after the third reading, as per the procedure outlined under Article 106 of the constitution.
“It depends on the interpretation displayed on what constitutes the bill. A bill for me is cooked when it is passed by parliament. There is an interim procedure between when it is passed by parliament after the third reading and the procedure outlined under Article 106 in the constitution.
The Supreme Court on May 8, directed Richard Dela Sky, to file a new motion for an order for an interlocutory injunction on the transmission of the anti-LGBTQ+ bill to the President for consideration and subsequent assent by the President pending the final determination of the matter.
This follows two applications filed by his lawyers to amend the reliefs he is seeking in the interlocutory injunction and to file supplementary affidavits.
The lawyer of Richard Dela Sky by the first application sought to amend the reliefs as they observed an omission on the motion paper for the interlocutory injunction.