Funds provided to political parties increased by MVR4 m

The funds provided to political parties have been increased by MVR4 million for 2013 when compared with the same for 2012.

Similar to previous years, 0.1 percent of the estimated state budget for 2013 has been assigned as funds for political parties.

The total budget for 2013 is MVR16.9 billion.

MVR15.2 million has been assigned as funds for political parties for 2013, while the amount for 2012 was MVR11 million.

This is an increase of MVR4.1 million and 37 percent.

Funds are provided to political parties because this is a requirement stipulated in the political party regulations.

Maldives has 15 registered political parties. They are Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP), Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), Adhaalath Party, Islamic Democratic Party of Maldives (IDP), Social Democratic Party, People’s Party, National Congress, Social Liberal Party, Jumhooree Party (JP), People’s Alliance, Maldivian Labour Party, Qaumee Itthihad, Dhivehi Qaumee Party, Maldives Reform Movement and Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM).

All parties with the exception of six do not meet the requirement that they should have 3,000 members before they can be registered.

The parties that have 3,000 members are MDP, DRP, Adhaalath Party, IDP, JP and PPM.

The party with most members, with 48,226 members, is MDP.

President of Elections Commission Fuad Thaufeeg said that funds are provided only to parties that submit audit reports.

He said that 40 percent of funds are given equally to all parties, and the remaining 60 percent is given based on the number of members registered with the parties.

“We have tried to stop providing funds to parties that are inactive. But we do not have that authority. So we provide funds to parties that submit audit reports,” he said.

The Auditor General also noted in the Audit Report of the Elections Commission, that the funds provided to political parties are wasted, and recommended that the regulation on providing these funds be strengthened.

To address this problem, the Parliamentary Committee on Independent Institutions is working on a bill on political parties. The bill states that a political party can only be registered if it has 5,000 members, and that funds will only be provided if it has 10,000 members.