Elections Commission

MDP accuses electoral body of ‘curtailing election observation’

The commission gave three working days to register representatives for nearly 500 candidates and refused to accredit several observers, the MDP said.

PPM slams elections commission for closing nominations for council polls

The PPM did not make any nominations when the extended deadline expired on December 1.

Court delays local council elections

The civil court ordered the elections commission to postpone January’s local council elections, citing the ruling party’s inability to prepare for polls in the wake of a bitter leadership dispute.

Candidates who lose political party primaries barred from contesting in elections

The parliament has revised the political parties law to bar members who lose primaries from contesting elections on the ticket of a different party or as independent candidates.

PPM wins legal bid to extend voter registration deadline

The civil court has ordered the elections commission to indefinitely extend the re-registration period for January’s local council elections pending a judgment on the ruling party’s request to delay the polls by two months.

Elections commission to release funds owed to political parties

The commission has requested the finance ministry to distribute MVR23million (US$1.5million) among four of the six political parties

Elections commission scraps plan to introduce e-voting

Nearly half of MDP’s members removed from its registry

The elections commission has struck off nearly half of the MDP’s members from its registry after the parliament approved a law requiring all political party members to submit their fingerprint records

Council posts down to 653

The number of city, atoll, and island councillors to be elected in the upcoming local council elections is 653, the elections commission announced Saturday, significantly fewer than the present count of 1,095 councillors.

Elections commission recognises Yameen faction as legitimate PPM

The elections commission has decided to recognise a faction led by President Abdulla Yameen as the legitimate Progressive Party of Maldives over a rival faction led by the ruling party’s elected president.

Political parties unite in condemning elections commission

Five of the six registered political parties in the Maldives have united in condemning the elections commission’s refusal to disburse public funding

Funding for political parties withheld

Citing leadership vacuums and complaints over reckless spending and mismanagement, the elections commission has withheld public funding for all political parties

Court ruling threatens to halve MDP’s membership and state funding

The civil court has ruled against an MDP petition that sought to overturn the retroactive application of a requirement for fingerprinted forms for political party membership, threatening to reduce the party’s membership and state funding by half

Political parties given deadline to re-register members under new fingerprint law

Political party members whose fingerprints are not on file at the elections commission have until October 11 to submit their records under a new law

MDP to partner with MUO to field candidates for local council elections

The MDP will field candidates for the upcoming local council elections in partnership with the new opposition coalition, the Maldives United Opposition. It also says it will boycott constituencies where electronic voting is to be introduced.

MDP urged to boycott elections if EC introduces e-voting

The Elections Commission had said earlier this month that it will “do what is necessary to introduce electronic voting.” However, commission members and Home Minister Umar Naseer told visiting European Union diplomats yesterday that e-voting would not be introduced unless the system has public support.

MDP reiterates call for consultation over e-voting plans

The main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party has urged the Elections Commission to consult with political parties over its plans to introduce electronic voting in the upcoming local council elections.

Plans for e-voting sparks concern

The main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party has expressed grave concern over the Election Commission’s plans to introduce electronic voting in the upcoming local council elections.

Government proposes mandatory re-registration of opposition party members

A ruling party MP has proposed changes to the Political Parties Act to make it compulsory for members of political parties to resubmit membership forms with fingerprints.

Court halts mass de-registration of political party members

The High Court issued today a stay order halting the Election Commission’s de-registration of tens of thousands of members from opposition parties.