Supreme Court of Maldives has concluded the first hearing on the motion filed by presidential candidate of Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) incumbent President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom, to annul the presidential election. The next hearing has been scheduled for 1030 hours, Monday morning.
At the hearing, PPM highlighted several issues detailed in the motion such as the claim the validity of ballot papers were compromised, the usage of a pen with disappearing ink, and the usage of rings with special features that could allegedly result in the change of the mark made on the ballot paper. At the hearing, the Elections Commission of Maldives denied all these claims.
The commission also maintained the freedom and fairness of the election had not been compromised. The lawyers defending the commission also claimed the constitutional matter cannot be taken up in the case. The legal team of the opposition leaders who intervened in the case, supported the stand of the Elections Commission.
As early as three hours prior to the hearing, rows of people, including members of the cabinet and members of parliament from both sides of the political spectrum queued near the Supreme Court, hoping for entrance into the public gallery of the court chamber. However, only a set number of people were allowed into the court chamber, after which the remaining group of people were directed away from the court premises by security forces, where crowds, including parliamentarians and journalists awaited news from the hearing.
On October 11, opposition leaders; former President Mohamed Nasheed, former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, Founder of Jumhooree Party Qasim Ibrahim and Leader of Adhaalath Party Imran Abdulla, filed a motion to intervene.
Citing numerous serious complaints received by observers, monitors and members of the general public in the immediate aftermath of the presidential election, PPM has filed to seek legal recourse. PPM expressed all complaints were filtered and examined for their authenticity by its legal experts and the matter have also been submitted to the Maldives Police Service.
However, international and local observers and monitors of the presidential election coincide that the 2018 presidential election was free, fair and credible.