The Supreme Court of Maldives has delayed its ruling on the potential annulment of the presidential election for the second time today.
Originally scheduled for 2:30pm today, the ruling was moved to 5:00pm, before court officials announced the decision to move the ruling back to 8:00pm.
“The Supreme Court can say whatever they want to say. But the constitution must be upheld,” Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) presidential candidate Mohamed Nasheed told a crowd of supporters gathered near the courthouse.
The case filed by the Jumhooree Party, alleges systemic fraud in the first round of the presidential election, despite the overwhelmingly positive assessments of all observer missions present.
The concluding arguments in the case were heard on September 25, two days after the court had issued an injunction calling upon all state institutions to halt election preparations until the case had been completed.
Numerous international actors – including the United Nations Security Council – have expressed their alarm at the decision to delay the second round, and the subsequent rising of tensions in the country.
Following the destruction of MDP aligned TV station Raajje TV this morning, party supporters gathered by police barricades on Fareedhee Magu.
MDP Imthiyaz Fahmy called for an investigation of the police’s role in the arson attack.
“[Police Commissioner] Abdulla Riyaz publicly announced previously that police will not provide protection to Raajje TV. Look how it has been absolutely burned down today,” said Fahmy.
Former President – and first-placed candidate in the initial poll – Mohamed Nasheed addressed a crowd of around 300 just before midday.
“The Supreme Court may say anything at two thirty today. Do listen to their verdict, it will make no sense at all.”
“The letters in the constitution cannot dissolve and protect itself, it cannot come out to war to protect itself. It won’t come to life unless we get strength from it and come out to protect it.”
“We are not here to ascertain presidency for Galolhu Kenereege Mohamed Nasheed. We are here to get people’s rights. Not for the MDP, but for all citizens,” he added.
The area – close to the Supreme Court – has been the focal point of MDP protests for 10 consecutive nights following the Election Commission’s decision to abandon preparations for the September 28 run-off, in the face of government and judicial intransigence.
The integrity of the Supreme Court was a persistent theme during early protests, with frequent – often visual – references to the Justice Ali Hameed’s purported role in a series of sex tapes.
“We are demonstrating here and won’t stop until we hear a verdict,” Nasheed’s running-mate Dr Mustafa Lutfi told the crowd.
Police have reported “no tensions and no arrests” during today’s demonstration.
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“We are not here to ascertain presidency for Galolhu Kenereege Mohamed Nasheed. We are here to get people’s rights. Not for the MDP, but for all citizens,”
(1) Absolutely right. MDP is bigger than Nasheed or Mariya or anyone else. The whole country is bigger than MDP. It's about the fundamental principles of democracy.
(2) The Supreme Court continues to be an illegitimate institution. As we keep mentioning, no Muslim, never mind a Maldivian can accept anything from this Court room whilst Ali Hameed sits in there. Under Islamic Sharia he should have been stoned to death a long time ago instead of being kept in charge of dispensing that very same Sharia.
(3) It doesn't take a genius to figure out that the Supreme Court has bungled this one big time. Gasim and Saeed claimed that it would have taken a couple of days to discover the MASSIVE fraud committed during the election. It should have been a simple matter to annul the first round and prosecute the Elections Commission for electoral fraud.
(4) Clearly, the decision by the Supreme Court is going to go one way, i.e. to favour the masters who control it. The Supreme Court's rulings are meaningless. Reason is given in (2) above.
Please wake up Maldivians. We are being done by the least honest, least honourable and most corrupt group of people in the country- and that is saying something considering the state of Maldives at the moment!
They will delay the verdict indefinitly.
The circus has begun. Let's see what the "fatwa" is. Don't expect any surprises, but a very predictable outcome.
As predicted. The 3 "justices" plus the son of Satan, aka Ali Hameed have trampled on the democratic rights of the people.
Apparently, they relied on the "intelligence" report from the Police! How much more impartial can we get? This is the same police that dismantled the last elected government on 7th February 2012!
A massive injustice has been served. Hang Ali Hameed. No actually, its stoning to death under Islamic Shariah.