President Waheed can remain in office until a new president is sworn in, rules Supreme Court

The Supreme Court has ruled today that, if a president is not elected by 11 November, President Dr Mohamed Waheed can remain in office until a new president is elected and sworn in.

The court thereby annulled the resolution passed by the parliament, which stated that presidential powers shall be handed over to the Speaker of the Parliament in the event that a president is not elected by 11 November.

In today’s ruling, the court ordered and notified all relevant State authorities that the present government will continue if a new government is not elected by 11 November.

The parliament resolution was annulled with the majority votes by four judges; Judge Abdulla Saeed, Judge Ali Hameed, Judge Abdulla Areef and Judge Ahmed Abdulla Didi.

The judges who opposed this ruling are Chief Justice Ahmed Faiz Hussain, Judge Adam Mohamed, and Judge Mu’uthasim Adnan.

The Supreme Court said that the court’s verdict whereby it annulled the result of the first round of the presidential election held on 7 September is still relevant, and that it has also ruled that the current government will continue to remain in power if a new government is not elected by 11 November.

The case requesting to annul the parliament resolution was filed by PPM Council Member, lawyer Mohamed Waheed Ibrahim.