The Elections Commission of the Maldives has rejected two applications to form new parties.

The commission said on Wednesday that the applications were rejected because proposed names were inappropriate.

The names proposed for the two parties are ‘The Great Green Connection’ and the ‘Maldivians Action Party’.

The commission has however approved two other new parties, the Maldives Labour and Social Democratic Party and the Maldives Third Way Democrats.

While the commission can provide permission to form new parties, they can only be registered and made official once they acquire at least 3,000 members.