Former President Abdullah Yameen submits his candidacy form to the Elections Commission today as it still remains unclear whether he would be allowed to compete in the September Elections.
Yameen is currently serving an 11-year jail sentence for money laundering and bribery charges and his appeal at the High Court remains stagnant.
But the opposition PPM submitted his candidacy form to the Elections Commission and Yameen's election agent Mohamed Tholaal handed over the form to Commissioner Fuwad Thaufeeq. Yameen's running mate and former Vice President Dr. Mohamed Jameel Ahmed was also present at the ceremony along with other PPM leaders.
Speaking at the ceremony, Vice President of the Commission Ismail Habeeb said the Commission has accepted Yameen's form and that the Commission is now checking whether the form ticks all the administrative boxes.
Habeeb also said that as per the law, the Commission is required to inform the candidate of its decision on the candidacy within 48 hours but the Elections Commission members have come to a consensus to give its decision in 24 hours.
Habeeb said that the Commission would check whether Yameen's candidacy form meets the requirements stated under the Elections Act especially articles 16 and 17 and that the Commission would decide whether the candidate can legally compete in the elections.
He added that the Commission's legal team would complete its research and inform the candidate before the 24 hours.
