Opposition Jumhoory Party (JP) on Friday passed a motion to temporary suspend the party council's authority to elect a leader which was largely designed to reserve the post for business tycoon Gasim Ibrahim.
The now self-exiled JP leader Gasim was forced to relinquish his post as the party's charter prevents him from serving due to his criminal conviction.
Gasim now lives in self imposed exile in Germany after he was convicted of bribery and sentenced to over three years in prison in August last year.
Though the party leader's post was up for grabs, no candidate had expressed interest to take Gasim' place as the party filled in key party position during its national congress on Friday.
According to JP's charter, if the national congress fails to elect a leader, the party's council had authority to name a new leader.
However, that authority has now been suspended by a motion which received 315 votes during the congress held at Paradise Island Resort and Spa on Friday.
The motion states that the party can only name a new leader after the Supreme Court rules on Gasim's conviction or the business tycoon allows the council to do so.
