A possible delay in the local council polls would result in millions of taxpayers money being wasted and could set a dangerous precedent for future elections, Maldives' electoral watchdog told the civil court Tuesday.
During the first hearing of the case filed by the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) seeking to delay the upcoming council polls by two months, the ruling party argued that the ongoing rift within the party had impeded its preparations for the elections slated for January 14.
The divisions within the ruling party stem from a dispute between the elder Gayoom and his half brother President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom.
The case had also argued that the party database and other key documents that had been reported missing after the handover, which had also hampered its preparations for the elections.
As the party would face irrevocable loss if it contested the elections on the scheduled date, PPM had urged the court to postpone the elections by two months.
The ruling party also pointed that several elections in the past had also been put off the scheduled date.
Countering the party's arguments, the Attorney General's office lawyer representing the elections commission in the case insisted that past decision is not a plausible reason to postpone the upcoming elections.
According to law, the Elections Commission must hold the local council elections 30 days before the end of the present councilors’ term -- which means the commission must hold the elections in January as per the constitution, as the term of the councilors will be up in February.
PPM's ousted leader Gayoom has since intervened in the case along with main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) and religiously conservative Adhaalath Party (AP).
The court during the hearing had allowed all parties to present their respective arguments.
MDP's lawyer said the ruling party had failed to provide a valid legal reason to postpone the elections pointing that the case was based on an internal conflict.
Gayoom's lawyer said the move could set a dangerous precedent where individual candidates in future elections can cite a personal matter and seek postponement.
The Judge said the case was pretty straightforward and scheduled a hearing for Thursday to deliver a verdict.
The rift between the Gayooms grew to the point of causing a split in the party. The matter eventually saw its end in court with the reins of the party being given to the party's chief adviser, President Yameen.
The elder Gayoom has however, continued to defy the court ruling and has since led a breakaway faction within the party with his supporters, and has since withdrawn his support for the government.
