Supreme Court of Maldives has nullified the amendment to the Political Parties Act, which states persons defeated in party primaries cannot compete at the relevant elections.
The case which also demands the Supreme Court to nullify the amendment was filed by Abdulla Jabir and Abdulla Maniu Hussain. Of the two individuals, Jabir faced defeat in the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) primaries for the upcoming parliamentary elections.
Concluding the case presided by the full strength of the Supreme Court bench, Supreme Court ordered the electoral body to accept application papers of those who were defeated in the party primaries, but seeks to compete in the parliamentary elections independently, until March 4.
Noting major 10 points, the order highlighted regulations and rules of the US and other democratic societies. In the order, Supreme Court expressed the clause banning candidates who fail primaries from contesting in the parliamentary elections, was in violation of the Constitution of Maldives.
Meanwhile, following the Supreme Court order, former President Mohamed Nasheed expressed the Supreme Court is meddling in elections once more, describing the verdict as judicial over-reach. He noted Maldives has suffered terribly in past from judicial meddling in the democratic process.