Maldives Supreme Court rejects President Abdulla Yameen's petition to annul last month's Presidential elections

Male, October 22: The Supreme Court of Maldives has rejected President Abdulla Yameen's petition to annul last month's elections. In a unanimous ruling yesterday, the court denied the President's request to oversee a police or military probe into alleged vote-rigging and electoral fraud.

 

It ruled that based on the evidence submitted, there is no legal or constitutional basis to question the legality of the election. The apex court said, the President's lawyers failed to prove any electoral fraud.

Yameen had challenged his election result despite conceding defeat hours after provisional results showed he lost by a record margin to Opposition candidate Ibrahim Mohamad Solih.

According to his petition, a pen with disappearing ink was left at the voting booth and a chemical was applied to make the checkmark disappear in the square next to his name.

The President was willing to produce secret witnesses in support of his claim, but it was overruled by the court.

The ruling party led by President Abdullah Yameen challenged the results of the September 23 election at the Supreme Court. Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) in a statement said that the party has been overwhelmed with numerous genuine concerns related to the elections, including serious allegations of vote rigging, fraud, malpractice and corruption.

It said, the decision to seek legal recourse was taken in accordance with the response by the Maldives Police Service. Election commission had earlier rejected PPM’s allegations and declared opposition candidate Ibrahim Mohamed Solih's victory with a record 38,000-vote margin.