The Supreme Court has begun hearing arguments in the candidacy rejection case of opposition leader former President Abdulla Yameen.
The hearing was scheduled for 2:30 pm but was postponed to 4 pm due to a power outage in the Supreme Court area.
The Supreme Court decided that the AG office should be a party to the constitutional case filed over the EC's rejection of Yameen's candidacy. The judicature law offers the discretion for the court to involve parties with an interest in the case.
The main opposition Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) also filed a third-party intervention, which the Supreme Court has granted.
Yameen is currently in jail after he was found guilty of accepting a USD 1.1 million bribe to lease Vaavu Aarah in the Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) corruption scandal.
According to the constitution, if a presidential candidate has been convicted of a criminal offence and sentenced to a term of more than 12 months, three years must have elapsed since his release or pardon.
Despite the legal hurdles, Yameen submitted candidacy papers with his former Vice President Dr. Mohamed Jameel Ahmed as the running mate.
The Elections Commission (EC) legal team advised members that Yameen does not meet the constitutional criteria as no court has overturned his 11-year sentence.
The appeal of Yameen's conviction and sentence started at the High Court but only one hearing has been held since the Eid holidays. The case has stalled due to the leave of judges.
A constitutional case was also filed twice in the Supreme Court to ensure Yameen's electoral rights. Both times the court dismissed the case.
The constitutional provision on the eligibility of presidential candidates has been open to debate.
Some lawyers believe that a constitutional case could be filed at the Supreme Court to interpret the sentence referred to in the provision as the final judgment after the appeal process is completed.
The People's National Congress (PNC) has decided to field Male' Mayor Mohamed Muizzu if Yameen remains barred from contesting.
