A Civil Court ruling has reversed the dissolution of the Maldives Labour and Social Democratic Party (MLSDP), prompting the Elections Commission of Maldives (ECM) to restore the party to the national register. The decision alters the country’s political composition, raising the number of active parties to nine.
The MLSDP, commonly known as the Labour Party, was removed from the register in 2023 after the ECM determined that its membership had fallen short of the statutory minimum required under the Political Parties Act for party formation. At the time, the party had recorded 2,556 members.
Challenging the decision, the Labour Party filed a case with the Civil Court, arguing that the dissolution lacked legal justification. The court concluded proceedings last month, ruling in favour of the party and declaring the ECM’s action unlawful.
In accordance with the ruling, the ECM re-registered the Labour Party on 30 October. The party’s current membership stands at 1,874, a figure revised to reflect the departure of individuals who joined other political organisations during the intervening period.
With the MLSDP’s reinstatement, the total number of officially recognised political parties in the country now stands at nine.