Democracy Week rescheduled for February

The Elections Commission is preparing to celebrate ‘Democracy Week’ in February with a door-to-door campaign, debate, poster and essay competitions, quizzes, beach sports, and a family evening. The event was first scheduled to take place on October 10 last year, but was delayed after the September 28 blast on President Abdulla Yameen’s speedboat, which the government insists was an assassination attempt.

Elections Commission processing membership forms ahead of mass de-registration

“We are trying to process the forms sent in December by the end of January. We will be deregistering any membership form without fingerprints after that,” commission member Ahmed Akram told The Maldives Independent today.

MDP launches recruitment drive to re-register members

The MDP said in a statement on Thursday that it is aiming to re-register more than 23,000 -nearly half of its 48,000 members – before the end of the month. The Elections Commission had imposed a deadline of December 31 for parties to re-register members who had submitted membership forms before a requirement for fingerprints was enforced.

Elections Commission fines MDP, Adhaalath over Nov 27 protest

“They were fined because they had involved children in their protest and also for using the UN emblem against the regulations,” Elections Commissioner Ahmed Akram told The Maldives Independent today.

MDP accuses Elections Commission of double standards

The EC had threatened to take action against the main opposition party over the use of the UN logo in the November 27 protest. The MDP had printed the blue emblem on t-shirts and banners urging President Abdulla Yameen to release former President Mohamed Nasheed as recommended by a UN human rights panel in September.

MDP, DRP sue Elections Commission

Two major political parties in the Maldives have lodged a complaint with the civil court over an Elections Commission order requiring re-registration of members with new fingerprinted forms.

Adhaalath Party now eligible for state funding

The religious conservative Adhaalath Party has increased its membership to 10,000, defusing fears that it may not receive funds from the state budget next year.

MDP hits back at EC’s condemnation of resolution backing targeted sanctions

The Elections Commission said that a political party that receives state funding should not be allowed to call for sanctions against government officials. The MDP’s national council had passed a resolution calling for targeted sanctions if the government continues to detain President Mohamed Nasheed in defiance of a UN rights panel judgment declaring his imprisonment arbitrary and illegal.

Elections Commission to spend MVR1.6million on democracy celebration

The Elections Commission (EC) will be spending MVR1.6million (US$100,000) on celebrating democracy in northern Haa Alif Hoarafushi in October.

Committee sets 10,000-member threshold for political party funding

The parliament’s independent institutions committee has approved amendments proposed to the Political Parties Act to set a threshold of 10,000 registered members for political parties to be eligible for state funding.

Cash prizes and beach sports part of Elections Commission’s democracy week

The Elections Commission is to celebrate democracy in October with a debate, poster and essay competitions, quizzes, beach sports and a family evening.

Council by-elections cancelled after president ratifies changes to decentralisation law

The fifth amendment to the Decentralisation Act ratified by President Abdulla Yameen on Wednesday states that by-elections must not be held if an island, atoll, or city councillor resigns one year after the local council elections.

Funds for political parties delayed

Dhiggaru by-election brought forward to June 6

Opposition to field single candidate for vacant Majlis seat

Ruling party wins Alifushi by-election amid bribery claims

Parliament approves new Elections Commission member, ambassador to Pakistan

Elections Commission says MDP cannot force Moosa to follow party whip

Jumhooree Party submits over 1,000 membership forms to EC

PG orders Elections Commission to reprimand MDP for resolution on transfer of power