Male, Maldives- The Maldivian Supreme Court has rejected a proposal to make Addu City Maradhoo-Feydhoo a separate Parliamentary voting district from Meedhoo.
Addu City’s Meedhoo and Maradhoo-Feydhoo district were merged in 2014, right before the Parliamentary Elections. Previously, Meedhoo and neighboring Hulhuhdooo were considered the same ward, with Maradhoo-Feydhoo and Maradhoo established as the same electoral district. Hulhudhoo and Maradhoo were then decided as individual wards, while Meedhoo and Maradhoo-Feydhoo were to be the same constituency.
In today’s verdict, the Supreme Court stated that ward establishment laws under the Decentralization Act state that any grievances regarding the constituencies decided by the Elections Commission are to be initially submitted to the High Court.
They added that even though the proposal was submitted as a constitutional complaint, under ward establishment laws, the complaint does not fall under Supreme Court jurisdiction.
However, the court said the same law states that after hearings on the matter conclude in the High Court, the verdict can be appealed in the Supreme Court.
Judge Ali Rasheed oversaw the hearing today, with the 5 judge bench consisting of Judge Azmiraldha Zahir, Judge Aisha Shujoon Mohamed, Judge Mahaaz Ali Zahir and Judge Mohamed Ibrahim.
