Attorney withdraws election petition submitted to High Court

The attorney who submitted a petition to the High Court requesting that all votes to President-elect Ibrahim Mohamed Solih (Ibu) during the recent presidential elections be converted to votes for President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom has withdrawn his petition.

The petition was submitted to High Court last Tuesday by attorney Abdul Maaniu Hussain.

Maaniu submitted the petition alleging all checkmarks made in the ballot papers for Yameen were transferred to the checkbox for Ibu due to a chemical used on the ballot papers.

He named the Spokesperson at President’s Office, Ibrahim Muaz Ali as a witness to prove the claim in his submission to the court.

However, Maaniu sent a letter to High Court this Wednesday requesting the petition be squashed.

He wrote that he had evidence the claims by Spokesperson Muaz were lies.

“Saddened at having submitted a petition related to the election based on blatant lies, I request you immediately cancel my petition form,” wrote Maaniu.

The presidential elections was won by Ibrahim Mohamed Solih (Ibu) who received 58.4 percent of the votes (134,705 votes). President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom won 41.6 percent (96,052 votes).

Yameen has filed a petition with Supreme Court to nullify the results of the presidential elections alleging the vote was rigged. The Supreme Court is yet to issue a verdict in the issue.