High Court on Monday threw out the case filed by main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) seeking to overturn the decision by the country's electoral watchdog to annul all candidacies for the delayed local council election after the party failed to attend the hearing.
State attorneys last week had argued that the High Court lacks jurisdiction to hear the case.
Monday's hearing was scheduled to hear MDP's counter argument. But after MDP's attorney failed to attend the hearing, the bench had dismissed the case.
The civil court had postponed the council polls originally slated for January 14 by two months.
Ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) filed the case seeking to delay the upcoming council polls by two months citing that the ongoing rift within the party had impeded its preparations for the elections slated for January 14.
Elections commission had announced its decision to hold the court delayed local council elections on April 8.
The commission had also said the previous 900 candidatures have been annulled and everyone would now be required to re-submit their respective candidature.
MDP in court insisted that the elections commission had not been given the authority to annul candidature forms by the civil court ruling.
