The Supreme Court's ruling on a similar case earlier reads that unless a circumstance that is beyond human control is obstructing the matter, the President must ratify the bill without any delay.
Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has said that based on an earlier Supreme Court ruling, the President must ratify the election postponement bill passed by parliament immediately, within the day.
In today's sitting, the Parliament has once again passed through a vote the amendments brought to the General Elections Act, after the President sent the bill back without ratification.
These amendments that the Parliament passed stipulate that elections will not be held during the month of Ramadan, and thus postpone any elections falling within that month to ten days after the conclusion of Ramadan.
As per Article 91(b) of the Constitution, any Bill returned to the People’s Majlis for reconsideration without ratification shall be ratified by the President and published in the Gazette if the Bill, after reconsideration, is passed without any amendments, by a majority of the total membership of the parliament.
During the administration of former President Mohamed Nasheed, he delayed ratification of a bill passed twice by the parliament in this same manner. Fonadhoo constituency MP at the time, and current Special Advisor the President, Abdul Raheem Abdulla, subsequently lodged a case at the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court's ruling on this case reads that unless a circumstance that is beyond human control is obstructing the matter, the President must ratify the bill without any delay.
In a press conference held today, MDP Thulhadhoo constituency MP Hisaan Hussain said that in accordance with this ruling of the Supreme Court, the President has no standing to delay ratification of the bill.
"He must ratify the bill. Whether that is going to be done today, or tomorrow, or the next day, this is not the sort of the thing that can be kept pending like that. We believe that the President must ratify this bill today itself. That is the spirit of the Constitution and the interpretation of the Supreme Court as well," Hisaan said.
Hisaan said that it would be illogical for the President to consider refusing to ratify the bill, and instead take the matter to court. Hisaan said that this would not be the first time that a government led by parties other than MDP have attempted to influence elections through the use of the courts, adding that the Supreme Court itself has acted in this manner before.
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