DRP and Labor Party dissolved

Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) and Maldives Labor and Social Democratic Party (MLSDP), on Wednesday, after being removed from the political parties’ registry, have both been dissolved.

Elections Commission (EC) said both parties were dissolved under Article 30 (a) (1) of the Political Parties Act subsequent to their failure to meet the 3,000-member requirement for political parties to keep on course within the three months period granted to the parties.

EC further stated that as both parties failed to inform who will bear responsibility for their debts during the stipulated period – the person responsible for the debts of both parties will be the highest-ranking official of the party at the time the debt was incurred.

EC initiated the process of dissolving DRP following its failure to meet the 3,000-member requirement during last year’s December. They initiated the process of dissolving MLSDP on June 30^th of last year.

DRP, the second political party to be founded in Maldives, was registered on July 15, 2005. The party’s first leader was former Maldivian president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. The party’s last leader was Kaashidhoo MP Abdulla Jabir, who was elected to the post on July 23, 2019.

EC granted permit to form MLSDP following an effort spearheaded by lawyer Abdulla Haseen on December 2018. The party was listed in the political parties’ registry in early January 2019.