The Supreme Court has declined to accept a case seeking to annul the bill on the eighth amendment to the Constitution, which proposes holding presidential and parliamentary elections on the same day and revising how the term of Parliament is determined.

The case was filed by former Kendhoo constituency MP Ali Hussain, who argued that the constitutional procedures required to ratify amendments had not been properly followed.

He cited provisions of the Constitution which state that the President has 15 days to either ratify a bill or return it to Parliament.

In a document signed by Supreme Court Registrar Raufa Haidhar, the Court noted that constitutional amendments requiring a public referendum must follow the procedures outlined in the relevant chapter of the Constitution.

The document also referenced Article 264, which states that a bill must be returned to Parliament within 15 days if the President decides not to ratify it. It further noted that no decision had been made by the President to withhold ratification of the amendment in question.

The Court concluded that the legal issue raised did not constitute a valid matter for review and declined to proceed with the case.

The constitutional amendment bill has already been passed by Parliament, and a public referendum on whether to adopt the amendment is scheduled for April 4, to be held alongside the Local Council and Women’s Development Committee elections. The amendment will take effect only if it is approved by the public in the referendum and ratified by the President.