Candidates in party primaries need to have specific qualifications: EC

The Elections Commission (EC) has said that poltiical parties that candidates contesting in party primaries need to have certain qualifications.

The commission said it will annul the candidacy of individuals who legally cannot contest in the presidential election

The commission also said that they must be informed if political parties decide to hold primary elections to choose a candidate to run for presidency, or even if they decide to grant a party ticket to candidates without holding primary elections.

As such, the commission must be informed of names of contesting candidates and the date of the scheduled elections.

If primary elections are to be held after notifying the EC, it must be held between the 21st of May and 01st of July and the consecutive results must be sent in detail to the commission before 12 p.m on the 08th of July.

The commission further requests political parties to refrain from actions that go against party regulations or the legal ambit, requesting parties to allow all members equal opportunity to run for the party ticket with full transparency.

Moreover, candidates must hold qualifications stated under section 109 of the constitution which states that the elected President must be a Maldivian citizen born to Maldivians parents and is not a citizen of a foreign country, is a muslim and a follower of a Sunni school of Islam, is below 65 years of age, is of sound mind, is not convicted of a criminal offence or one for which punishment is prescribed in Islam or of fraud, deception or criminal breach of trust.

While the EC has made this announcement, the opposition MDP has slated their party primaries to the 30th of May and party leader and former President Mohamed Nasheed remains the only candidate to have submitted his bid for the party ticket.