Minister of State for Finance and Spokesperson for President Mohamed Waheed’s abolished Gaumee Iththihaadh Party (GIP), Abbas Adil Riza, has said that he does not accept that the party has been dissolved despite the Elections Commission saying otherwise.
During a press conference held at Nalahiyaa Hotel on Wednesday, Riza said the elections commission had not informed them of the party’s dissolution.
Following the ratification of Political Parties Act, only five political parties remain registered in the Maldives. Remaining parties include: opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) and government-aligned parties Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP), Jumhoree Party (JP) and Adhaalath Party (AP).
Vice President of Elections Commission (EC) Ahmed Fayaz told Minivan News on Tuesday that a total of 11 political parties had now been removed from its political party registry in accordance to the new Act.
President Waheed’s own party, GIP was among the 11 parties dissolved following the bill’s ratification, despite the president’s claims that it had reached 10,000 members.
EC Vice President Fayaz said that whilst GIP and the Maldives Development Alliance (MDA) had both submitted enough forms to meet the 10,000 minimum, many of those forms were still pending and so could not be counted.
“There are two parties who have submitted close to, or over the 10,000 membership minimum, but just because the parties have 10,000 membership forms submitted, it does not mean they have 10,000 party members,” he said at the time.
It had been previously reported that upon ratification of the bill, political parties with fewer than 10,000 members would have three months to reach the required amount or face dissolution.
When asked about the clause, Fayaz stated it only applied to registered parties in accordance to the bill, and that therefore if a party does not meet the 10,000 limit it cannot be classed as such and is therefore exempt from the three-month clause.
Meanwhile Abbas Adil Riza contended that a high priority was given by parliament members in drafting the Political Parties Bill which became law on Tuesday, claiming that the bill was fabricated to destroy the party. Riza also accused Parliament Speaker Abdulla Shahid of playing a pivotal role in making sure the bill got passed into law.
Last week, both parliament’s minority leader and majority leader unanimously supported to overrule the vetoed Political Parties bill without any amendments, forcing it through. Out of the 67 members present during the vote, 60 voted in favour of the passage of the bill while six voted against the bill and one MP abstained.
During the press conference, Riza also contended that Maldives’ political party system was “significantly in need of smaller political parties” and that all major political parties had “betrayed the nation” because it had the support base needed to do so.
He also contended that the party would file a petition in Supreme Court challenging the Political Parties Act and the Elections Commission in its decision to abolish the party.
President’s Office Media Secretary Masood Imad – who is also a member of GIP – echoed similar remarks earlier, claiming the government had decided to take measures to “rectify” the decision to dissolve all but five of the country’s political parties.
He argued that the dissolution of the parties is seen by the state as an infringement of people’s right to form political bodies which he maintained was a constitutional right.
Masood contended that Attorney General (AG) Azima Shukoor had on Tuesday afternoon sought to file motions with the country’s Supreme Court raising concerns with the decision to dissolve the parties following the ratification of the Act.
However, it remains unclear as to whether the Supreme Court has accepted the case or not.
Addressing the impact of President Waheed’s own party being dissolved, Masood said the decision would not be a problem for the functioning of the present government.
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Thank God it is destroyed!
Thank You Oh God. For destroying GIP. Thank you Almightly God! for destroying GIP. Thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you God for destroying GIP.
Solution: dismiss Fuwad Thoufeeq. Appoint retired col. Nazim Sir as the commissioner General of Elections. re-establish all the small political parties. If politicians mouth too much let Valho control the situation. done.
The Maldivian Solution.
Nobody lost any right due to this bill. Every one has the right to form a party and be a member of a party. Even before their is a limit and now only that ceiling is increased to 10,000. Why is the right to protest & assemble is with held with such a law and why did the AG didn't take this to Supreme Court.
"He argued that the dissolution of the parties is seen by the state as an infringement of people’s right to form political bodies which he maintained was a constitutional right."
Well, Masood Imad wouldn't know what a "constitutional right" is even if he ran into one. There are some very old and established democracies where a minimum number of members is required in order to form political parties.
These democracies have long held beliefs and respect for the rights of individuals and yet there's no question of rules for political party formation infringing any of those rights. The political parties bill does not prevent me, my pet cat, and his friends forming any association in any manner we like!
The consolidation of political parties is way overdue. Once we settle down to a handful, clear policies will emerge and we can at last start differentiating between what these parties stand for.
As it is now, only MDP and PPM can be recognised as having differing policies. MDP has a clearly published manifesto and their goals are clear. As for PPM, I just know that they stand to control power around a single family. As for Mr Drill's party and Adhaalath, I have absolutely no idea what they stand for, apart from jostling for power.
@Jadhullah on Wed, 13th Mar 2013 5:56 PM
"Every one has the right to form a party and be a member of a party. Even before their is a limit and now only that ceiling is increased to 10,000."
Precisely! You see, Masood Imad and others like him do not comprehend simple facts like that. I don't believe Azima Shukoor has the intellectual capacity for the post she is in. It's way over her head.
Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Russia and others impose minimum numbers on political parties and those are well established democracies with much better respect for individuals' rights than our coconut Republic! I hope that these facts are not lost on the bench of the Supreme Court.
He doesnt need a party or any representation. All he wants to be is the President, when this country has gone to the dogs.