Majlis accepts revision to remove party members without fingerprint for consideration

People’s Majlis on Tuesday accepted the bill by Feydhoo MP Ibrahim Didi to revise law so that members of political parties who did not submit their fingerprints before Political Party Act came into effect were removed from party register.

The bill states that members of political parties who registered with their parties after Political Party Act came into effect would be given a period of one month to submit their fingerprints, and would be removed from party register if they did not.

36 of the 57 members in attendance during the Majlis meeting voted accept the bill for consideration, while 21 members voted to reject the bill.

It is stated it Article 11 of Political Party Act that individuals who wished to register with a political party needed to submit their fingerprint.

MP Ibrahim Didi proposed the revision after considering Elections Commission’s request that there be an equal policy in ensuring the authenticity of all individuals belonging to political parties, as individuals who registered with political parties before 2013 had not submitted their fingerprint.

The revision also calls for registers of political parties who submitted the required information during the given period be considered when money is allocated from State budget for political parties.

MP Ibrahim Didi said that fingerprints not being required when registering for a political party before 2013 threw into question the authenticity of names included in party registers. And that Elections Commission was receiving numerous complaints as such, and that it was creating huge problems.

Speaking during the debate on the bill, Maradhoo MP Ibrahim Shareef said that he did not approve of the revision. He said that the policy on how political parties received money needed to be revised. And that money needed to be allocated based on number of seats won by political parties during general elections.

Kanditheemu MP Mohamed Hussein said that he agreed with the opinion expressed by MP Ibrahim Shareef, and said that money for political parties needed to be allocated based on their activeness.

South Mafannu MP Abdulla Rifau said that said that members for opposition political party – Madivian Democratic Party (MDP) – had been registered through deceit. And said that the revision would ensure the authenticity of members registered with political parties.

Vilufushi MP Riyaz Rasheed alleged that MDP was using the money they received from State budget to “save” former President and MDP leader Mohamed Nasheed, and to spread false rumors about the country. And said that he would propose a bill to revise the law so that parties that did not vote to pass the State budget would not receive any money.

Alifushi MP Mohamed Rasheed Hussein said that Attorney General himself had said that a new law should not take a way a previously given legal right to anyone.

Makunudhoo MP Anara Naeem also spoke in disapproval of the bill, saying that the revision would destroy the authenticity of something that was deemed authentic before.