Case on parliament seats of Azim and Nashiz scheduled for tomorrow

The first hearing of the case filed by a lawyer to Supreme Court, requesting it to rule that Alifushi MP Mohamed Nashiz and Medhu-Henveiru MP Ali Azim have lost their parliament seats, has been scheduled for tomorrow.

The case, which requests the Supreme Court to rule that the MPs have lost their seats as they have decreed debts which they have failed to pay in compliance with a court order in this regard, was filed by Jumhooree Party’s Legal and Policy Committee Member Mohamed Haleem Ali.

The case has been scheduled at the Supreme Court for 2:000 pm tomorrow.

Questions were raised about the legitimacy of the parliament seats held by Nashiz and Azim following their failure to comply with a Civil Court ruling issued on 7 February 2010, which was also backed by High Court, to repay the MVR117 million loan taken by Funaddoo Tuna Products from Bank of Maldives (BML).

Civil Court granted BML permission in November 2012 to sell the assets mortgaged for obtaining these loans.

Article 73 of the constitution states that a person shall be disqualified as a member of parliament immediately if he has a decreed debt which is not being paid as provided in the judgement; while article 74 states that any question concerning the qualifications, removal, or vacating of seats of a member of parliament shall be determined by the Supreme Court.

Former Thimarafushi MP Mohamed Mustafa also lost his parliament seat because he had a decreed debt which was not being paid.

This case was scheduled on a previous occasion as well, but cancelled due to a judge having been taken ill.