The Elections Commission will be issuing notices to political parties that have a party membership below 3,000.
As per the Political Party Act, all parties must have a minimum membership of 3,000 members. If the number of members falls below 3,000, the party must increase the number up to 3,000 within three months. However, due to the State of Public Health Emergency being in effect in the Maldives for the past two years, the requirement was not implemented in the duration.
The Commission's Vice President Ismail Habeeb Friday said while the State of Public Health Emergency has now been lifted, the Commission will be issuing a three-month notice to four political parties whose member numbers are below 3,000. The parties are Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DR), the Maldives Labor and Social Democratic Party, Maldives Reform Movement (MRM), and Maldives Third-Way Democrats (MTD).
DRP has 2,280 members, while the labor party has 2,725 members. Former President Maumoon Abdul Gayyoom's MRM has 2,303 members, while former Vice President Ahmed Adeeb Abdul Ghafoor's MTD has 2,489 members.
As per the registry at the Elections Commission, the biggest party in the Maldives is the main ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP). The party has a membership of 54,782 members. The opposing Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) follows behind with 34,368 members, while Gasim Ibrahim's Jumhooree Party (JP) has 20,139 members. Home Minister Imran Abdulla's Adhaalath Party (AP) has 10,589 members.
The remaining parties do not have 10,000 members. As per the Political Party Act, only the parties whose membership is larger than 10,000 will receive state funding.
