Political Parties Act to be Amended: Funding to Include All Registered Parties

The Elections Commission has decided to amend the Political Parties Act to ensure that all registered political parties receive state funding through the designated allocation in the State budget.

Currently, under the law, only political parties with more than 10,000 members are eligible for state funds, which are distributed based on the size of their membership. As of this year, six political parties meet this threshold, and the State has disbursed MVR 44 million to them.

The Elections Commission has now drafted proposed amendments to this rule. Elections Commission President Fuad Thaufeeq told Mihaaru that the amendments would be submitted to the Attorney General's Office by the end of the week. One of the key changes proposed is a new system for allocating funds to all registered political parties.

Under the new recommendations, state funds will be distributed as follows:

• 25% of the total budget allocation to parties with a membership of 3,000 or more
• 25% to parties with a membership of 10,000 or more
• 30% based on votes received by parties in parliamentary elections
• 20% based on votes received in local council elections

Fuad noted that discussions on these changes began in 2020, during which the commission sought feedback from political parties.

Additionally, the proposed amendments include easing the current requirement for political parties to hold a congress every five years, allowing for delays under justifiable circumstances.