Supreme Court has upheld Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM)’s congress held last September.

The verdict was issued on Wednesday regarding the Elections Commission (EC)’s appeal.

At September’s congress, former President Abdulla Yameen was appointed PPM president with his legal advisor Azima Shakoor, senior PPM lawmaker Abdul Raheem Abdulla, and former minister Moosa Zameer and Mohamed Saeed as deputy leaders.

PPM council members were also appointed at the party congress.

EC had refused to accept any of the decisions made at the congress, including the appointments, stating that the congress had violated PPM regulations. EC stated that the non-party members had participated in the congress and that some members appointed to senior positions had not been in the party for the required period of time.

However, after an appeal was filed, the High Court ordered EC to recognize the appointments.

Yameen had taken control of PPM during his administration, after ousting the party founder and former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.

Recently, Yameen and senior PPM members loyal to him have formed a new party called the People’s National Congress, in fear that he might lose leadership of PPM.