Supreme Court requested to rule Nashiz, Azim seats vacant

A case has been filed to Supreme Court requesting it to rule that the seats of Alifushi MP Mohamed Nashiz and Medhu-henveiru MP Ali Azim are vacant, as the two MPs have unpaid, decreed debts.

The issue was submitted to Supreme Court as a constitutional case by Jumhooree Party’s Appeal Committee member, Mohamed Haleem Ali.

Haleem told Sun Online today that the case was filed under Article 74 of the Constitution, with reference to Article 73 (c) (1).

“Last Thursday’s Civil Court ruling shows that the two MPs have a decreed debt which is not being paid. We have therefore filed the case the Supreme Court this morning. The Court has not indicated if the case has been accepted yet,” he said.

Questions were raised about Nashiz and Azim’s parliament seats following non-payment of the loans taken from Bank of Maldives (BML) by Funaddoo Tuna Products. Civil Court ordered to repay the loans worth MVR117 million on 7 February 2010, an order which was supported by High Court. However the loans have thus far not been paid.

Consequently, Civil Court ruled last Thursday that BML can liquidate the assets that were mortgaged to obtain this loan.

The Supreme Court said today that it had received the case, but no decision has been made yet.

Article 73 (c) (1) of the Constitution states that an MP immediately becomes disqualified if he has a decreed debt which is not being paid as provided in the judgement, and Article 74 states that any question concerning the qualifications or removal, or vacating of seats of an MP shall be determined by the Supreme Court.

Former Thimarafushi MP Mohamed Mustafa also lost his seat when he was found guilty of an unpaid, decreed debt.