EC cannot decide a day to hold primaries: AP
EC has told all political parties to conduct their primaries prior to 1st of June and to deliver the names of the presidential candidates to EC before 8th June
Members of Adhaalath Party
Adhaalath Party (AP) has said that Elections Commission (EC) cannot determine a date to hold party primaries and that EC's order to conduct primaries prior to a specific date is unconstitutional.
AP said so in response to EC's letter on Thursday announcing that all political parties to hold their presidential primaries prior to 1st of June and to deliver the names of the presidential candidates to EC before 8th June.
In response to the letter sent by EC, AP's Vice President Ali Zahir said that EC does not have the authority to overlook party primaries or to determine whether the elections are constitutional.
In reference to the constitution and EC's regulation, the response letter by AP stated that the law does not require them to hold the primaries within a specific time period, nor does it obligate parties to send the result of the primaries to EC.
While the letter read that EC's order to conduct party primaries within ten days is unconstitutional, it added that releasing such an order shows that the members of the commission are not acting according to their mandate.
Additionally, Adhaalath Party's letter also said that they do not believe EC has properly prepared for the upcoming elections and that the committee has not revised the relevant regulations according to the recent changes brought to the laws.
'The commission includes members who have been actively supporting specific political views in the past few years. And because of the way 2017's local elections were carried out, the Commission has lost all credibility in front of the Maldivian people', read AP's letter to EC.
AP also said that the best option right now is for EC members to resign and to establish a commission acceptable to all political parties and one that the public can trust.
