Elections Commission also falls to a deadlock

Three members of the Elections Commission (EC) have decided against partaking in meetings chaired by the committee’s president Fuad Thaufeeq.

EC, which comprises of five members, requires three members to be in attendance for any meeting. 

Members of EC, Ali Nashath, Mohamed Asif and Dr. Mohamed Zahir on Wednesday decided against attending any meetings chaired by Fuad. Therewith, no convening can be held hereafter until the deadlock of resolved.

Nashath, speaking to Sun on Wednesday afternoon, confirmed the decision by the three members, noting they have informed EC of the same. The members stated they will not be attending meetings unless Fuad resigns from his post.

A meeting was slated for 10:30am this morning regarding the issuance of permit to ‘The Democrats’ – the new political party being formed by supporters of Parliament Speaker Mohamed Nasheed – subsequent to the completion of processing the membership forms submitted by the party when they filed for registration.

However, the meeting could not proceed as the quorum was not met following the boycott by three members.

Members Nashath and Asif, in an earlier meeting regarding the issuance of permit to ‘The Democrats’, had voted against issuing the permit citing the non-completion of form processing. Back then, both members said they will vote to issue the permit as soon as the process is complete.

EC’s deadlock comes less than 100 days before the presidential elections.

Parliament, on the other hand, is also in a deadlock at present. Speaker Nasheed and Deputy Speaker Eva Abdulla recused themselves from presiding over sittings in the face of no-confidence motions against them. While the last three sittings were presided by Vilufushi MP Hassan Afeef, the parliament can be chaired by a member who is not the speaker or the deputy speaker for only three consecutive sittings.

With no one to preside over the sitting, the parliament remains in a deadlock.