Supreme Court accepts case requesting to annul parliament resolution

The Supreme Court has accepted a case requesting to annul a resolution passed by the parliament.

The resolution in question states that the Speaker of Parliament shall assume presidential powers in the event that there is no elected president by 11 November.

The case was filed to Supreme Court by lawyer Mohamed Waheed Ibrahim.

Waheed has requested Supreme Court to annul the resolution, which was passed by the parliament on 27 October, with 39 votes in favour - by MPs of MDP and DRP.

Supreme Court said in its ruling wherein it annulled the result of the first round of the presidential election held on 7 September that, in the event that the country fails to elect a president by the constitutional deadline, the current presidential term will continue and that the incumbent president will remain in his seat.

The ruling has been criticised by opposition MDP, with a motion being submitted to the parliament by MP Hamid Abdul Gafoor. This motion states that if the Speaker is unable to assume presidential powers, it facilitates for Deputy Speaker of the Parliament to take charge of the government. If the Deputy Speaker is indisposed, an MP elected by the parliament shall assume presidential powers.

The Supreme Court has not yet announced a date for the first hearing of the case filed by Waheed.