The Attorney General (AG) on Wednesday asked the country's top court annul a clause in the political parties law to avoid conflict with the recent ruling on anti-defection.
The AG is seeking the annulment of Article 16(2) of the political parties Act which states that a member elected on a party ticket would not lose his or her seat if penalized by the party's disciplinary committee.
The state argued that the clause was in direct contradiction with the recent Supreme court ruling that disqualifies MPs who defect or violate party whip-lines and or are formally removed from their respective party.
Ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) devastated by a revolt after as many as 10 lawmakers backed an opposition led move to unseat the parliament speaker Abdulla Maseeh had engineered the constitutional dispute case to prevent the MPs from defecting to the opposition.
Elections Commission had disqualified four lawmakers who were dismissed from the ruling party under the anti-defection ruling.
Thulusdhoo MP Mohamed Waheed Ibrahim , Dhidhdhoo lawmaker Abdul Latheef Mohamed, Maduvvaree MP Mohamed Ameeth and Villingili MP Saud Hussain had all challenged their disqualifications at the top court.
The court has begun hearings on the challenges separately but is yet to reach a verdict.
