Opposition Maldivian Democratic Party has submitted a case to the High Court seeking to void the President Dr Mohamed Muizzu's decree to merge the presidential and parliamentary elections. Alongside this, MDP is also seeking an interim order from the court to halt the public referendum on the matter.
The case states that the decree issued last Monday by President Dr Mohamed Muizzu on the merging of the presidential and parliamentary elections contradicts the amendment to the law brought to merge the two elections.
Hence, the decree does not have legal power and should be deemed void, MDP says. The case was submitted as a judicial review case. MDP is also seeking an interim order to halt any actions related to the referendum until the court rules on voiding the decree.
In the submitted case, MDP highlights six ways in which they believe the decree contradicts the law. These are:
- Narrowing of the right to campaign granted by the Referendum Act
- Infringement on the right to vote in elections and referendums
- While the President is the Commander-in-Chief of MNDF, the President has been negligent in fulfilling his duties as the head of the State.
MDP states that as an information sheet as required in a referendum was not included with the presidential decree, and as this was not elaborated even later, MDP's right to campaign has been infringed upon. If the case stalls without an interim order being issued, it will cause huge loss to the claimant. Further, if the court later finds that the decree is void, it may cause irredeemable financial loss if the party now spends on campaigning for the referendum, they state.
Last week, MDP's National Council reached a resolution to work against the referendum on merging the two elections.
In a press conference yesterday, Kendhoo MP Mauroof Zakir said that MDP will be undertaking additional efforts as well to halt the merging of the two elections. This will include country-wide campaign activities and a large rally in March, he announced.
The parliament passed the bill on amending the Constitution to allow the merging of the two elections, submitted by PNC PG Leader Ibrahim Falah, on February 10.
Such an amendment to the Constitution can be brought through a public referendum. Hence, the Elections Commission has announced that the referendum will be held alongside the April 4 Local Council and WDC elections.
President Muizzu has earlier said that merging the elections would result in significant savings for the State. Current estimates indicate that MVR 80 million per year can be saved through this move, PNC leaders have said.
Falah, meanwhile, opined that it would also serve to increase voter turnout.
