Supreme Court to hold EC answerable to constitutional case filed regarding election

Supreme Court of the Maldives has asked the Elections Commission to answer to the constitutional case filed at the court regarding the Presidential election held on the 23rd of September.

RaajjeMV understands that the Supreme Court had asked answers from the EC to be submitted before 11am on Saturday. Court had also held a preliminary hearing in the case and handed the relevant documents over to the EC.

Supreme Court on Wednesday night approved the constitutional case filed by Economic ministry’s deputy minister and attorney Abdulla Siyaz and Judicial Service Commission’s (JSC) Mohamed Saleem on behalf of President Abdulla Yameen.

Further details were not shared on what the exact issues were regarding the election. The case had been filed following PPM supporters having filed complaints regarding the polls, at the ruling party’s office and President’s legal team.

Although the President on Wednesday decided to file a constitutional case at the Supreme Court, he and the ruling party had publicly accepted the election results the day after polls were held, in which opposition candidate Ibrahim Mohamed Solih took the lead with 54.8% of votes. However, President Yameen, after the final results were announced, began encouraging his supporters to take to the streets as he deemed the election to be rigged, having accused the Elections Commission of vote rigging. The ruling party supporters have been holding serial protests outside their head office on Boduthakurufaanu Magu since.