Main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has scheduled the elections to elect a new chairperson in February next year.
The post was vacated after former chariperson Ali Waheed living in self imposed exile in the UK suddenly resigned last week.
MDP has now given a week for interested members to submit candidatures for the post.
Waheed in a letter to Nasheed, said he was resigning to pave the way for a leader who lives in the Maldives.
Waheed is facing terrorism charges over the violence that erupted during the May Day protest last year.
Waheed fled to Britain last year in fear of prosecution and has since been granted political asylum.
A leading member of former president Mohamed Nasheed's legal team and former youth minister Hassan Latheef had announced his intention to run for the post.
