President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih on Monday ratified the constitutional amendment passed by the parliament to lift an age cap of 65 years on presidential candidates.
The then ruling coalition with the support of some opposition lawmakers in 2015 had amended the constitution to put the age limit on presidential candidates largely designed to bar former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom and Jumhoory Party (JP) leader Gasim Ibrahim from contesting for the presidency.
Inguraidhoo MP Ibrahim Falah who had spearheaded the amendment had told AVAS earlier that he does not believe the need for the clause as most countries do not have an age limit to run for the highest office.
"I don't believe that anyone should be barred from contesting for the presidency. That's why I will propose to remove that amendment," Falah who also serves as the deputy parliamentary group leader for the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) had said.
