Saud's lawyer: Election cannot made decision on seat

Lawyer Ali Shaah representing the MP for Vilingili constituency, Saud Hussain, has said that the Elections Commission does not have the legal standing to decide whether a MP has lost their seat at the parliament.

Speaking at the hearing at the Supreme Court following the Elections Commission decision that said that MP Saud has lost his parliamentarian seat, Lawyer Shaah said that the Constitution dictates that it is the Supreme Court that can decide whether a member has lost their seat.

Referting to the Supreme Court passed the ruling on 13 July 2017, Shaah said that his client, Saud requested the Elections Commission that his name be omitted from the PPM member list via form and a letter on 10 July. And on 11 July, Saud sent a letter to the Commission requesting a document verifying the omission.

At a hearing today, the Chief Judge, Abdulla Saeed ended the session while the state prosecutors were responding to the claim and set a hearing for 10 a.m. tomorrow.

Aside from MP Saud, the MP for Maduvvari constituency, Mohamed Ameeth and Dhiddhoo constituency, Abdul Latheef Mohamed also have a hearing in their respective cases of losing their parliamentarian seat.