AG questions legitimacy of Didi

Attorney General (AG)’s office has questioned the legitimacy of Dr Ibrahim Didi’s role as Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) President, indicating that he was appointed as MDP President against the party’s basic regulations registered with the Elections Commission.

The AG raised this question in relation to the case filed to Civil Court by MDP following the takeover of MDP camp at Lonuziyaaraiy kolhu by Police and Armed Forces, which was signed by Didi in his capacity as MDP President.

At the second hearing of the case filed by MDP for a second time held at Civil Court today, the state lawyer said that the case was signed by Dr Didi in his capacity as MDP President, but he was not appointed to this post according to the basic regulations registered with Elections Commission.

Lawyer of AG office Ahmed Usham said that when the case was filed, the basic regulation which MDP had registered with Elections Commission was that of 2006, which indicates that a President and Vice President can only be appointed to the party by a party congress.

Usham raised this point as a procedural issue before proceeding with the case, as Didi was appointed President by members’ vote, which was conducted in accordance with later version of MDP basic regulations.

In response, MDP’s lawyer Hisaan Hassan said that the party’s basic regulations were changed at a congress held in 2010, to indicate that the party President and Vice President should be elected by taking a vote among its members.

Hisaan also said that failure to register the new basic regulation, which had been passed by the congress, does not invalidate the basic regulation. Moreover, ever since Dr Didi had been appointed as President of MDP, Elections Commission as well as the state have been referring to him as the President of MDP.

MDP also asked the state lawyers if Elections Commission had ever in the past stated that Dr Didi was appointed against the basic regulations.

Civil Court Judge presiding over this case, Hathif Hilmy concluded today’s hearing by saying that a decision on the issue raised by the state will be made after holding another hearing this week.

Initially, the case filed by MDP against the raid by Police and Armed Forces of their camp at Lonuziyaaraiy kolhu was signed by the party’s Interim Chairperson Reeko Moosa Manik.

The court dismissed the case by indicating that Reeko Moosa Manik does not have the authority to sign a case on MDP’s behalf, subsequent to which it was signed by Dr Didi and filed to court for a second time.