MDP's Ali Niyaz blames Elections Commission for the current state of the country

The Elections Commission must take responsibility for the current political division among Maldivians, which was in part instigated by its unseating of 12 lawmakers, Ali Niyaz said.

Niyaz, deputy to the Maldivian Democratic Party’s chairperson, said that in having unseated said parliamentarians the commission effectively took away representation of over 60,000 citizens.

Niyaz said, with parliament ‘essentially frozen’, citizens of Maldives have been forced to play a regulatory role in regard to the Elections Commission.

“Those five members at the helm of the commission, are people we must properly monitor and regulate” Niyaz said.

Niyaz further said that the commission is heavily influenced by the government and as such have been subject to a degree of protection.

He said that particular situation would soon change and that the members of the commission will potentially be held accountable.

The Elections Commission dismissed the 12 lawmakers following a Supreme Court ruling on a case filed by the government, asking for constitutional clauses on floor-crossing to be defined.

While the apex court’s ruling did state that lawmakers who switch parties can be subject to penalization, the ruling also stated that a bill on anti-defection needs to be enacted first.

The 12 were later reinstated by the Supreme Court, in its controversial ruling on 1st February.