The Elections Commission of the Maldives (ECM) has decided to nullify political parties that have less than 3,000 members by June 14.
The Political Parties Act states that a political party can be formed after it has submitted 3,000 membership signatures to the ECM. However, the electoral body has notified four parties that have lost members since their formation and requested them to obtain 3,000 members by June 14.
The notices were sent to Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP), Maldives Reform Movement (MRM), Maldives Labour and Social Democratic Party (MLSD), and Maldives Third-Way Democrats (MTD). DRP was one of the first political parties to be formed in the Maldives, and MRM is led by former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. Some parties have requested ECM to give them more time to increase their membership but the electoral body stated the deadline was set in accordance with the law. It added that it can no longer give leeway to parties as it had during the COVID-19 pandemic.
A total of 11 political parties are registered in the Maldives but most have less than 10,000 members. Parties with 3,000 members are allowed to remain registered while parties with 10,000 members receive funds from the state budget. As such, the Ministry of Finance has distributed state funds to four eligible political parties. The Political Parties Act states that 0.01% of the state budget should be distributed to registered political parties with 10,000 or more members. The four parties eligible for state funds are the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), the opposition Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), as well as government coalition partners Jumhooree Party (JP) and Adhaalath Party (AP).