LP progressing as planned - Ibra

19 December 2007
Report: Soodh

The activities of Maldivian Social Liberal Party (LP) is progressing as planned says the interim leader of the party Ibrahim Ismail (Ibra).

MP for Male’ Ibrahim Ismail said although Commissioner of Elections KD Ahmed Manik has banned LP from holding any party activities, they are not facing any difficulty in organizing and holding such events. Ibra also said they are currently on track and regular party activities are being conducted.

Ibra said among the current ongoing activities include setting up of party branches in atolls. He also said a general assembly of the party will be held soon.

Speaking at news conference Minister of Legal Reform, Information and Arts Mohamed Nasheed has said that he considers LP as a registered party and the Ibra should get the benefit of what is not specifically mentioned in political party regulations. He elaborated that the regulations does not state that ID cards has to be furnished along with membership forms and that obtaining copies of ID cards as a verification means was procedure employed in the Commissioner’s office.

A Media Release issued by LP stated that the dispute between the Commissioner and Liberal Party arose when the Commissioner imposed an extra legal requirement on the Party by demanding that the Party submit photocopies of National Identity Cards of some 1383 party members. The view of the Party, that the demand for the submission of the national ID cards was an extra legal requirement was supported in writing by the then Acting Attorney General, Minister of Information and Arts, Mohamed Nasheed revealed the Media Release. However, the media release points out that Commissioner ignored the legal opinion of the Attorney General.

Social Liberal Party had issued a Media Release on the 12 of this month declaring it self as a registered party in Maldives as of the 3 of this month.


The release issued by the LP stated that the party was forced to declare itself as a registered party due to the inaction by the Commissioner of Elections to duly register the party following the submission of application for registration to Commissioner’s Office. The media release stated that article 15(b) of The 2005 Regulation on Political Parties stipulate that “ if for any reason, the Commissioner of Elections fails to inform the nominated representative of the party, seeking registration, whether the party has been registered or not as provided in the article 15(a) within 30 working days of the application of the application to be registered, the Party seeking registration, shall be considered as duly registered; and the party shall have the right to proceed with its work as a political party; and under such circumstances, Party registration documents shall be released to the nominated representative of the party”.

The Media Release stated that Liberal Party stood firm in its view that it was an extra legal requirement, and constituted an act shifting the goal after the shot had been taken. While the liberal party fully sympathized with commissioner of elections with the administrative difficulties he may be faced in maintaining the political parties register, the party maintained that the commissioner of elections does not have the authority to make the requirement mandatory while it is not stated in the regulations on political parties.


Liberal Party concluded the media release expressing regret for the complete disregard by President Gayoom’s government to rule of law, and its dictatorial manner when making its decisions, particularly when potential political contenders are involved. The Liberal Party called on the government to follow rule of law, and to immediately stop the harassment of political opponents, and urged President Gayoom to instruct his appointees to uphold the law.