The main opposition, the PPM-PNC coalition, has taken legal action by filing a petition with the Supreme Court to contest the Election Commission's decision to invalidate the presidential candidacy of former President Abdulla Yameen. However, following his conviction on charges of money laundering and bribery in December 2022, he is currently serving an 11-year prison sentence, rendering him ineligible to participate in the election. The alliance remains optimistic that a higher court will reverse the lower court's ruling, reinstating Yameen's eligibility to run for public office.
As such, the opposition submitted Yameen's candidacy application to the Elections Commission on Monday morning. Yet, on the same afternoon, EC conveyed to PPM its decision not to accept President Yameen's candidacy due to his failure to meet the requirements outlined in Article 109 of the Constitution.
The opposition coalition presented its presidential ticket to its leader Yameen in February last year. However, after being convicted on money laundering and bribery charges in December 2022, he is currently serving an 11-year prison sentence, rendering him ineligible to contest the election. The alliance remains hopeful that a higher court will overturn the lower court's verdict, thereby reinstating Yameen's eligibility to run for office. As such, the opposition filed his candidacy form to the Elections Commission on Monday morning. However, the EC the same afternoon informed PPM that it decided against accepting President Yameen's candidacy as he did not meet the requirements of Article 109 of the Constitution.
In response to the EC's decision, the PPP-PNC coalition issued a statement declaring the Election Commission's ruling as invalid and announced their intention to escalate the matter to the Supreme Court. The case has now been formally filed accordingly.
"We have full confidence that the Supreme Court will overturn the Election Commission's decision and validate President Yameen's eligibility for candidacy," asserted the PPM in their statement.
Dr. Mohamed Jameed Ahmed, lead counsel of Yameen's legal team and former Vice President of the Maldives, as well as Yameen's running mate for the upcoming election, said the EC had misinterpreted the Constitution. He emphasized that Article 109(e) of the Constitution specifies that a presidential candidate must not have been convicted of a criminal offense resulting in a sentence exceeding twelve months unless a period of three years has elapsed since their release or pardon for the offense.
President Yameen had previously lodged two constitutional cases in the Supreme Court alleging the infringement of his electoral rights. However, the court dismissed both cases. Although his current conviction is being appealed in the High Court, the proceedings were halted due to a judge on the bench going on leave.
