A prominent lawyer has filed a case in the Supreme Court to disqualify Maldivian Democratic Party candidate, Mohamed Nasheed, from contesting the presidential polls, which will be held on October 19, 2013. He was irreligious, the petitioner contended.
The individual, identified by a senior government official as Waheed, is a member of one of the bodies of the Progressive Party of Maldives, run by former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.
There was some confusion on the identity of the petitioner as the President also goes by the same name. Asked for a clarification, the President’s media secretary, Masood Imad, told The Hindu that the two had no links.
President Mohamed Waheed condemned efforts by individuals to stop Mr. Nasheed from running for Office of the President of Maldives. He said he believed this is not the time to engage in efforts to obstruct or bar candidates from going through the electoral process. “It will not help resolve the already volatile political situation in Maldives,” the President said.
Earlier, the Maldives Supreme Court had annulled the results of the first round elections of September 7, 2013 in which Mr. Nasheed was placed first with over 45 per cent of the popular vote, and the Progressive Party of Maldives candidate Abdulla Yaameen was placed a distant second. It had ordered a rerun of the first round of polls before October 20, 2013.
The verdict was based on a case filed by resort tycoon Qasim Ibrahim, a candidate who had been eliminated in the first round of polls. He had contended that the first round of polls were not free and fair. Members of his party, and that of the other opposition, had told many members of the international press that the elections were rigged scientifically. When asked for proof, nothing was forthcoming.
