President: Scourt ruling poses questions over legitimacy of Parliament’s decisions

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu says that the Supreme Court ruling regarding the later repealed amendment on how the Parliament’s seats are counted poses questions over the legitimacy of other recent decisions by the legislative body, including the repassage of a bill postponing the parliamentary elections.

The bill, banning national elections in Ramadan, was passed for the second time on Wednesday, just two days after President Muizzu rejected the bill. The move forces him to ratify the legislature, which he said earlier contained provisions that contradict with the constitution.

And on Thursday morning, the country’s top court ruled that the Parliament cannot disregard vacated seats and count the total seats as 80.

Addressing a rally in N. Kendhikulhudhoo, mere hours after the ruling, President Muizzu said that it had created questions over the legitimacy of all decisions made by the Parliament by considering 80 as the total seats.

He said that this includes the election postponement bill passed on Wednesday, with a majority vote of 47-14.

President Muizzu said that he has asked for counsel from Attorney General Ahmed Usham on how to deal with the bill.

“All decisions made based on total seat count of 80 will therefore be unconstitutional,” he said, referring to the court ruling.

“I have asked for legal counsel from the attorney general. Because a ruling such as this poses questions… regarding the legitimacy of the previous decisions,” he said.

He said that he will make his decision based on counsel from Usham, adding that he would “immediately ratify the bill if he advises as such.”

“If he counsels that the bill passed on Wednesday must be ratified, then I will immediately do so,” he said.

He said that he himself does not want to hold the elections in Ramadan.

“The oath I swore with Almighty Allah as my witness is something I must be responsible for, in this life and the next. Every phrase, every letter of the oath matters to me. I will therefore not violate the Constitution, even the smallest bit,” he said.

President Muizzu said that he himself does not want to have the parliamentary elections held during Ramadan, and that when the Elections Commission (EC) initially asked for an unofficial opinion from his regarding the matter, he had suggested holding the election ahead of Ramadan.

He said that it was the main opposition MDP – which holds a majority in the Parliament – that refused to make necessary legal amendments for pre-Ramadan elections.

He accused MDP of having a “hidden reason” for wanting to postpone the election.

President Muizzu said that Ramadan was a month for religious observances, and he does not want to be involved in campaigning during the month.

‘I do not want to have the elections in Ramadan. Ramadan is a month of worship. Isn’t this why I pledged during my presidential campaign to have government offices closed during the last 10 days [of Ramadan]?” he said.

The parliamentary elections was scheduled for March 17th – which falls within the first week of Ramadan.

But the MDP-sponsored legislature bans national elections during Ramadan.

According to the bill, if an election date falls within Ramadan, it must be held 10 days after Ramadan ends.

The legislature was submitted citing concerns over a likely low voter turnout.