Second batch of forms never verified - Ibra

23 December 2007
Report: Soodh

When the first applications forms for registration of Maldives Social Liberal Party (MSLP) were rejected by the Elections Commissioner, the second applications forms were neither checked by the elections Commissioner nor by the National Registration, MSLP interim Leader as well as MP for Male’, Ibrahim Ismail (Ibra) has said.

In an interview given to Miadhu Daily yesterday, Ibra said that as the party was not informed of any discrepancies in the forms which were submitted later, there was nothing they could do even if the Commissioner released a press statement.
The Commissioner’s release reports that Ibra on four different occasions had submitted 3989 membership forms. The release also detailed how the Commissioner disqualified 2372 names. The Commissioner’s release points out that, out of the 2372 names, 1371 are names already registered as members of other parties, 12 names that has been previously been submitted to the Commissioner’s Office to be registered as members of parties that are under registration process and 989 members were disqualified for failure to provide complete information.

“Office of the Commissioner of elections never informed that a particular person belongs to a particular party. If we knew that, that person could resign from that particular party. Some people here are saying that they have never joined a political party” Ibra said.

Since this dispute has to be explained in detail, Ibra said that no information could be given now, but a press conference would soon be held.

In a previous interview given to Miadhu Daily, Ibra said that he had submitted 3000 signatures to the elections commissioner, but the commissioner has said that some of those forms were of disputed as some of them belong to another political party. Elections Commissioner has told Liberal Party to submit the photo copy of the identity card of their members.

“The regulation on Political parties does not say that we have to submit the photocopy of ID cards. This was a dispute about a legal point between the Elections commissioner and the members of MSLP…” Ibra said.

Ibra said that an agreement form was submitted with the members to cut their names from the list of any other political party and to register them in MSLP.
“Every member has agreed that from the day they sign for this party, they are not a member of any other party if they belong to any party. Even then, Elections commissioner is saying that a particular person belongs to a particular party, this cannot be accepted by the party” Ibra said.

Regarding the submission of photocopy of ID cards, the case was sent to Attorney General’s office and a letter was sent from the AG office to the elections commissioner, Ibra said.

“I got a copy of that letter. It clearly states that photocopy of the ID cards does not have to be submitted. He said that there is no legal obstacle in the, from the day one signs for liberal party, that person would belong to liberal party. But still, the commissioner is saying that the forms are false” Ibra said.

Recently, Legal Reform Minister Nasheed, to a question asked by the press said that he believes that Ibra’s party is now registered.