Male, Oct 12 (newsin.asia) – The Maldives Supreme Court, on Sunday, will begin hearing the legal challenge filed by the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives against last month’s presidential election, local media reported Friday.

A notice on the Supreme Court website said that a hearing on the case had been scheduled at 1 p.m., local time, on Sunday.

According to Elections Commission Chief, Ahmed Shareef, the Supreme Court had held a preliminary hearing on Thursday where the Elections Commission had been asked to respond before 11 am on Saturday.

Shareef said President Abdulla Yameen had asked the Supreme Court to annul the election claiming electoral violations.

The PPM, on Thursday, filed a case in the Supreme Court, against the results of the Sept. 23 Presidential elections, alleging that there had been rigging.

The PPM is led by incumbent President Yameen, who lost the Sept. 23 polls to opposition candidate Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.

The PPM, in a statement said that the decision to seek legal recourse through the Supreme Court and High court was taken in accordance with the relevant articles of the Elections Act which said that elections related complaints could be probed only through a court order.

The decision to seek legal recourse was taken by the party Council  in order to uphold the electoral right of its candidate and running mate as well as the rights of the party’s members and the 96,000 people who voted for the President, the PPM said.

The Elections Commission, has dismissed the allegations raised by the PPM and stressed there were no irregularities or complaints that could affect the outcome of the election.

Meanwhile, the Joint Opposition, staging its strongest protest at the current trun of events in the Maldives, has called on President Yameen to immediately withdraw the ‘blatantly unsubstantiated case’, and to step aside and to facilitate a peaceful, and smooth transition.

In a statement, the Joint Opposition called on state institutions, including the Supreme Court, and the security forces to uphold the will of the people, and to ensure the lawful mandate handed to President- elect, Ibrahim M. Solih is not thwarted by the egregious maneuverings of the defeated candidate.

“Maldivians used the ballot to defeat the dictatorial regime. Yameen must not be allowed to perverse the hard-won opportunity for all Maldivians to attain meaningful democracy and stability,” the Joint Opposition said.