MDA would not be dissolved under Political Party Act: Shiyam

Leader of Maldives Development Alliance (MDA) Ahmed Shiyam Mohamed has said that the party would not be dissolved under the Political Party Act, and that MDA had submitted more than 10,000 membership forms to the Elections Commission before the law came into effect yesterday.

Shiyam said at a press conference held today that MDA had submitted 12,700 membership forms to the Elections Commission before the bill was ratified by the president.

“The Political Party Act states that political parties should have 10,000 members. We had submitted over 10,000 forms to the Elections Commission long before the parliament voted on the issue. And we had submitted 12,700 forms to the Elections Commission before the bill was passed in a manner that compelled the president to ratify it. So I don’t believe that this party should be dissolved. Based on the constitution and existing laws, this party cannot be dissolved,” Shiyam said.

Shiyam, who is also the Member of Parliament for Meedhoo, said that people have been denied a political right due to this bill being passed by the four largest parties represented in the parliament.

“I could say that the parliament is doing this to intentionally harm the people. These are efforts to ensure that people’s voices and demands are suppressed and unheard,” Shiyam said.

Shiyam said that the issue of MDA being removed from the registry of the Elections Commission after it had submitted over 10,000 membership forms will be filed to court.

“Starting tomorrow, we will do everything necessary to defend this case in the justice process of the Maldives,” he said.

Deputy Leader of MDA, Kudahuvadhoo MP Ahmed Amir said at today’s press conference that no section in the Political Party Act states that a party in MDA’s situation should be dissolved, and that the Elections Commission acted irresponsibly when it made the announcement indicating that MDA had been dissolved.

Amir assured members of MDA that the party had not been dissolved, and said that more people are in fact joining the party.

He said that the Elections Commission, while it had announced that MDA had been dissolved, had not communicated any information on this matter to the party.

“We have not been informed in any form of writing that the party has been dissolved. There has been no communication in this regard between us and the Elections Commission. We are talking about this following the announcement by the commission via media. That’s not a responsible way to handle things,” he said.

The Elections Commission itself has said that it had not processed the membership forms submitted before the Political Party Act came into effect.

The press conference held by MDA today was also attended by its Deputy Leaders Ali Mauroof and Aishath Rafiyya.