Supreme Court schedules JP

Supreme Court has scheduled a hearing for Jumhoory Party’s election case for 2:30 p.m. Monday, 7th October 2013.

Announced through the Supreme Court website today, the Court is expected to issue a verdict tomorrow on the highly anticipated hearing of case filed by Jumhoory Party, alleging irregularities surrounding the first round of the presidential election and asking the Supreme Court to annul the election results.

Maldivian Democratic Party’s (MDP) candidate Mohamed Nasheed took the lead with 45 percent of the votes, with Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) candidate Abdulla Yameen winning 25 percent and Jumhoory Party candidate Gasim Ibrahim in third with 24 percent. Incumbent president Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik received 5 percent of the vote. The first round was held on 7th September 2013.

Supreme Court has issued an injunction ordering the Elections Commission and relevant authorities to postpone the second round of the presidential elections until the court reaches a verdict. The last hearing for JP's election case was held on the 25th of September.

Supreme Court has heard confessions of witnesses presented by Jumhoory Party, two of who had stated that minors below the age of 18 had cast ballots during the election.

Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) also intervened in the case, but later left when the court suspended two of the lawyers representing the party.