Supreme Court is not an institution for issuing guidelines, says Nasheed

Maldivian Democratic Party's (MDP) presidential candidate, former president Mohamed Nasheed has said the Supreme Court is not an institution mandated to issue guidelines.

Speaking at Television Maldives’ (TVM) Raajje Miadhu program, the former president said that the Supreme Court has ceased their designated duties, and have started making laws.

“It is sad that the Supreme Court has stopped their work and started making laws. They are not for making or issuing guidelines,” Nasheed said.

The former president had also criticized the Supreme Court earlier by saying that the court had acted against the law in annulling the September 7th presidential election.

Supreme Court could not present in their ruling, an argument or proof in favour of their verdict to annul the presidential election, Nasheed said.

Alluding that the Supreme Court was unduly influencing the electoral process, Nasheed said that Supreme Court’s order directing the Elections Commission to make fresh arrangements for re-registration did not have any relation to their verdict to annul the election.

Supreme Court issued an order on Friday night stating the Elections Commission was violating the court’s guidelines in conducting the re-registration process and ordering the commission to make fresh arrangements for re-registration, independent from the earlier re-registration lists compiled by the commission.