Elections Commission (EC) has on Monday decided to allow opposition leaders, former President Mohamed Nasheed and Sheikh Imran Abdulla to retain their leadership positions in their respective parties.
With this decision, Nasheed will retain leadership of Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), while Imran maintains leadership of Adhaalath Party.
While an amendment to the Prisons and Parole Act in 2015 states that convicts cannot hold leadership positions in a political party, EC member and spokesperson Ahmed Akram said that the Commission chose to allow them to retain leadership as the Supreme Court has freed them as it continues to review their cases.
Both were convicted of terrorism, in separate cases; Nasheed in 2015 over the alleged ‘abduction’ of a criminal court judge during his presidency while Imran was found guilty of inciting violence in 2016. Back in October, the court issued stay orders on enforcing their jail sentences.
Akram added that due to the Supreme Court’s recent rulings, 'there are no legal obstacles to them retaining party leadership’.
Furthermore, Akram highlighted that they had given consideration to the information provided by the parties, which states that Nasheed and Imran are elected leaders of their respective parties, and that their terms are yet to expire.
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