Maldives’ apex court will on Monday hear a constitutional case against the statutory ban on individuals who lose a party primary from contesting independently. 

A hearing for the case has been scheduled for 9:45am; the case was filed by former MP Abdulla Jabir, who lost his bid for a ticket from the Maldivian Democratic Party. 

Jabir told the media after filing the case in late January that he firmly believes being barred from contesting as a nonpartisan candidate infringes on his constitutionally mandated political rights. 

Parliamentarians voted to amend the political party law so as to bar such individuals from contesting in elections in 2013.