Former president and PPM leader Maumoon Abdul Gayoom speaks to the press in the vandalised office of PPM. PHOTO: NISHAN ALI/MIHAARU
The lower court has allowed Former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom to intervene in the case filed by President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom’s faction of the divided ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) seeking to postpone the upcoming Local Council Elections.
President Yameen’s faction requested to postpone the Local Council Elections from its original date of January 14, 2017 by two months, claiming that it has not been able to prepare sufficiently for the elections due to operation difficulties of PPM following the party’s split into two factions, one loyal to the president and the other to his half-brother and party leader Maumoon.
Former President Maumoon, who has been vehemently opposing the delay, had submitted to intervene in the case which the Civil Court has permitted. The court has ordered Maumoon’s lawyer Husnu Al Suood to present himself to the court on his client’s behalf to submit his statement early Thursday.
Meanwhile, main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has also been allowed to intervene in the case, which is currently in the stage of taking statements from the parties involved. The trial hearings will commence afterwards.
As it is an ongoing case, the court has released a temporary order allowing re-registration for the local elections to be carried out indefinitely.