The Elections Commission of Maldives (ECM) has said that the main priority of its ongoing meetings with political parties is to strengthen the procedures used when taking action against political parties.
Speaking to PSM News about the Commission's consultations with political parties, Elections Commission member Hassan Zakariyya said the Commission recognises the importance of having a fair and consistent procedure that political parties can accept when action is taken against them. He said the Commission's intention is to strengthen these procedures through consultation with the parties.
Hassan said the ECM had previously held a series of meetings with political parties, but the current round of consultations has resumed after a break of about a year. Over the past two weeks, the Commission has been holding consultation meetings with political parties.
"At first, these meetings are being held separately with each party. Once we have discussed the changes that need to be made, everyone will come together for consultations. If the public also wishes to see changes, those views should be conveyed through the parties' leadership. We very much encourage the public to channel their opinions through the political parties so they can be brought to us," Hassan said.
He added that, if the planned schedule proceeds as intended, the Commission expects to meet each political party individually by early August. After that, it hopes to begin joint consultations involving all political parties.
So far, the Commission has met with two parties: the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) and the Maldives National Party (MNP). Hassan said the discussions have focused on the challenges faced by political parties and on revising procedures to make regulatory processes easier for them. The parties have also been consulted on proposed procedural reforms.
The Elections Commission noted that it has previously worked successfully with political parties to introduce amendments to the Political Parties Act. It added that special attention continues to be given to ensuring that reforms and procedures are developed in consultation with the parties and take their views into account.