Ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) on Sunday denied preventing the lawmakers who had backed an opposition led move to unseat the parliament speaker from leaving the party.
PPM has been accused of engineering the constitutional dispute case asking the Supreme Court to disqualify MPs who defect or violate party whip-lines.
The three judge bench hearing the case unanimously ruled in favour of the government. The court had also ordered relevant institutions to bring into effect an anti-defection law.
The move was designed to prevent as many as 10 PPM lawmakers from leaving the party after they backed an opposition led move to unseat the parliament speaker.
As the AG was filing the constitutional case, Ihavandhoo MP Mohamed Abdulla, Thimarafushi MP Mohamed Musthafa and South-Thinadhoo MP Abdulla Mohamed officially asked to leave the party to join south-Machchangoalhi MP Abdulla Sinan, Villingili MP Saud Hussain and North-Thinadhoo MP Saudulla Hilmy to quit the party on Monday.
Dhihdhoo lawmaker Abdul Latheef Mohamed and Hanimaadhoo lawmaker Hussain Shahudhee also left the ruling party last week followed by Dhangethi MP Ilham Ahmed on Sunday.
North-Fuvahmulah MP Ali Shah late Tuesday also quit the party taking the tally of lawmakers to leave the embattled ruling party to 10 decimating the once mighty ruling coalition as the parliament minority.
The ruling party however, has refused to allow the lawmakers to leave saying that their requests can only be processed after their respective disciplinary hearing are concluded.
PPM secretary general and Nilandhoo lawmaker Dr Abdulla Khaleel denied blocking the exit of any lawmakers insisting that the party's disciplinary committee would make the decision.
"We can't prevent any member from leaving even if we wanted to. But a member's exit would only be made official after his or her name is removed from the party's registry by the elections commission," Khaleel explained.
As the result of the Supreme Court ruling, most of the rebel lawmakers stand to lose their seats if they go through with quitting the party.
Khaleel reiterated PPM's stand saying that the door was open for the 10 lawmakers to reverse their decision.
However, the majority of the MPs had unanimously reaffirmed their stand insisting that they would vote against the speaker, expected later this month.