It is up to Umar to go to courts and we are ready too, says Elections Commission Chief

The Elections Commission yesterday said “it is fully on his part” if the ex-President of the Islamic Democratic Party wants to go to courts over disbanding his party and the Commission is ready to “present their point of view too.”

President of the Elections Commission Fuwad Thowfeeq told the Asian Tribune: “It is fully on his part, if Mr. Umar Naseer wants to go to the court. We will be ready to present our point of view.

The High Court will now decide whether the Islamic Democratic Party could be disbanded or not after it’s the then President Umar Naseer dissolved it last month, and joined the main Opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party.

But the Elections Commission later said that the party’s own regulations have not been followed in dissolving the party hence it is not a valid decision.

The Commission noted the number of members should be present at the national council to decide on dissolving the party has not been there.

Adding to the issue, an anti-Umar group within the party has defied the decision to disband the IDP.

“The Elections Commission had gone through all the documents related to the issue. They had been provided by both Umar Naseer and his opponents. After thorough review and with all due considerations, we came to the conclusion that Mr. Umar Naseer did not follow all the rules and regulations set in their working procedure adopted by the national council of the IDP,” Fuwad said.

He added: “Therefore, we rule out his decision of dissolving the party, and that is why we still hold IDP as a valid party registered in the Elections Commission's Party Register.”

However Umar has vowed to take the matter to the courts blaming the Commission has no right to decide on dissolving his former party.

“According to the political party’s regulation,” Umar was quoted as saying in Haveeru Daily “The commission has no right to dissolve a political party.

“The party would make the decision and present it to the elections commission. The responsibility of the commission is to remove the party’s name from the list and inform to the public. Shortly, I would present this case to the High Court,” Umar has said.

- Asian Tribune -