Funds released to parties, after a seven-month delay
Laws mandate that funds must be released in the first three months of the year
Opposition parties in a rally: funds to parties were released this year after a seven-month delay
Finance Ministry says funds has been released to political parties on Sunday.
Clause 35 (f) of the Political Parties Act mandates that all funds that are to be distributed to parties must be done so in the first three months of the year. The funds were released this year after a seven-month period. Last year, funds were released in November.
Then Elections Commission (EC) said the delay was as the Court had not reached a decision on the issue of fingerprints. Due to this, the total number of members in any Party was in question and therefore, the funds could not be released.
However, both EC and Finance Ministry are yet to reveal why issuing funds were delayed. EC previously said all relevant documentation had been sent to Finance Ministry.
This year, MVR 23 million was allotted as funds to political parties, with Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM) claiming over MVR 10 million. MDP got MVR 7 million, while opposition aligned Jumhooree Party (JP) netted MVR 2.7 million. Government coalition partner Maldivian Development Alliance (MDA) earned MVR 2.7 million. As Adhaalath Party and Dhivehi Raiyyithunge Party (DRP) did not meet the threshold membership of 10,000 members funds were not released to these parties.
