The Election Commission (EC) has said that if the Supreme Court interprets the law as requested by PPM's presidential candidate Abdulla Yameen, then all prisoners serving criminal sentences will have the opportunity to contest the elections.

Yameen's candidacy was submitted to the EC on Tuesday morning, following which EC declared Yameen ineligible to contest the presidential election, owing to the 12-year prison sentence he is serving at present.

The Supreme Court is currently hearing the petition filed by Yameen. Speaking at the Supreme Court, Mahfuz said the Parliament has fixed the eligibility requirements for electoral posts, especially Members of Parliament, so that those serving criminal sentences cannot contest.

The rule in Article 109(g) of the Constitution applies to all positions elected or appointed under the Constitution or any law, he said.

“If Article 109 is interpreted as proposed by the President, all offices are to allow people serving sentences in various criminal cases to be elected or appointed. For example, there may be people in Parliament who have been convicted of criminal offences. There may be people who have been convicted of terrorism,” Mahfuz said.

He said Yameen can contest the election if he has been sentenced to less than 12 months in a criminal case but if he has been sentenced to more than 12 months he cannot contest the election. He added that Supreme Court has already ruled as such in the past.

Hamza Latheef, a member of the team of lawyers representing Yameen in the Supreme Court, said that since Yameen has appealed the sentence at High Court, his jail sentence should not factor in him contesting in the elections.

"Based on the verdict, Yameen, if he cannot contest the election, he may lose his electoral rights," Hamza said.

Responding to the allegations, Mahfuz said Yameen's remarks showed that the judgments of the Criminal Court and the High Court should not be enforced and have no weight. Unless the Supreme Court decides on a case, a lower court decision does not have to be followed, he said.