Party president and vice president can only be removed if requested by 25 percent members

The basic regulation of Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) passed today at the congress states that no-confidence votes against the party president and vice president can only be taken at the party council meeting if a petition is presented by 25 percent of the party members.

The amendment to article 54 of the PPM basic regulation was passed with votes in favour by 302 out of 350 members present at the meeting.

The amendment, submitted by PPM Drafting Committee and passed at its congress, states that a petition with the signatures of 25 percent of PPM members can be presented to the party secretary general in relation to taking a vote of no confidence against the party president and vice president.

It states that the secretary general should inform the party president to hold a council meeting within two days of the petition being submitted, and that a council meeting must be held within three days of the secretary general’s notification. It also states that no issue other than that of the no-confidence vote should be tabled at this council meeting, and that the member against whom the no-confidence motion is filed cannot participate in this meeting.

At this meeting, a committee must be elected to investigate the no-confidence issue. This committee should be made up of one member who submitted the petition, and two members appointed by the person against whom the accusation is being made.

All except one out of 44 amendments proposed to the PPM basic regulation were passed with high majority at the congress. The only amendment that was rejected stated that elected MPs and councillors can contest in upcoming elections without holding a primary election.

The congress will go on until Saturday. The party’s basic and management regulations were passed today, and members will be appointed to senior posts of the party tomorrow.