Parliament will Thursday morning begin formal consideration of the constitutional amendment to allow the Electoral Commission (EC) hold general elections in November instead of December.

In what is expected to be a heated debate on the proposed amendment, Joy News sources indicate there is the possibility of Minority legislators withdrawing their support for the amendment.

Despite a favourable report by the Legal, Constitutional and Parliamentary Affairs Committee of Parliament on the proposal, Joy News sources say the Minority Parliamentarians will oppose the bill.

The sources say the move by the 122 Minority MPs – most of whom are New Patriotic Party (NPP) members – is backed by the party.

The NPP is concerned about the timing of the proposed amendment, and has indicated that amending the constitution few months to general elections is not good for Ghana’s democracy.

The issue came up when the Legal, Constitutional and Parliamentary Affairs Committee of Parliament was considering the bill.

But on Monday the Committee supported the proposed amendment albeit some recommendations, citing  the EC’s assurance that it will be able to conduct and manage the general elections in November despite delays and adjustments made to its elections calendar.

Although the move to amend Article 112 of the Constitution could breach ECOWAS protocols, the Committee indicated that in accordance with the same protocols, key stakeholders have been consulted and hence there will not be any such breach.

The Committee also said it was convinced that the EC is financially positioned to hold the elections, dismissing funding challenges sceptics raised.

If the Minority’s opposition does not change it will mean that even if all 148 National Democratic Congress (NDC) Majority Parliamentarians vote in favour of the bill, it will not be enough to see it through.

Speaker of Parliament, Edward Doe Adjaho, has already warned that further delay in the consideration of the constitutional amendment bill will have serious consequences on this year’s general elections.

When Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Marietta Brew Appiah-Opong, moves the motion for the second reading of the bill Thursday, she is expected to soften the Minority’s hard line on the bill.

The EC is seeking to hold electons in November to allow for sufficient time between declaration of election results, especially when there is a run-off, and the handing over of government to an incoming administration.