Debate on bill disqualifying candidates who lose primaries from elections commences

People’s Majlis members have started debate on the bill submitted by Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) to disqualify candidates who lose their party primaries from participating in any official election, either as an independent candidate or as a candidate of another political party.

The amendment to Political Parties Act was submitted by Vilingili MP Saud Hussain.

The bill was accepted for debate with the vote of 27 of 35 lawmakers present during this Monday’s Majlis sitting.

Reading the bill to the Majlis, MP Saud said he submitted the bill with the purpose of providing a solution to the distress it causes members of a political party when a member of their party who loses a primary goes on and competes in an official election as an independent candidate or as a candidate of another political party.

Amendment proposed to Political Parties Act:

• Disqualifying a candidate who lost in a political party primary from competing in the election another way. Despite it being stated otherwise in another law, a registered member of a political party who participated and lost in his/her party primary to obtain the party ticket to compete in any election authorized by Maldivian Constitution or any law, will not be allowed compete in any election, in any other capacity.

• Requiring Elections Commission to cancel the candidacy of any such candidate who may submit his/her candidacy for an election.

Saud said the amendment was important to increase the efficiency of procedures surrounding party primaries, and protect political party from the negative impact of one of its former members who lost the party primary from competing in elections in another capacity.