The statutory administrational division regulator, Local Government Authority (LGA) has begun investigating island council members involved with the Maldivian Democratic Party’s (MDP) primary elections.

The LGA has said that it is investigating the matter and have asked council members to provide a statement on how voting went on in their jurisdictions. The LGA is investigating the matter on the grounds of council members having defied a court order.

The Elections Commission had previously threatened the party with dissolution if they allow former president Mohamed Nasheed to contest the elections, given that he has been found guitly of criminal charges and sentenced to imprisonment. The decision was supported by the Civil Court. 

However, the primary ballots were held and Nasheed was elected with over 43,000 votes. The Elections Commission has said that they will pursue legal action against the party, and that it will be penalized ‘as per law’.

The Elections Commission’s threats were described by the Joint Opposition, a coalition of which MDP is a member, as baseless and part of incumbent President Abdulla Yameen’s ongoing wave of repression against the opposition.