Maldives
| Question | Value |
|---|---|
1. Is there a ban on donations from foreign interests to political parties? |
Code
No
Comment
Political Parties Act 2013 article 37 states that political parties are required to seek permission in writing from the Elections Commission of Maldives prior to receiving any donations from foreign sources. Source
Source: Article 37, Political Party Act, 2013 |
2. Is there a ban on donations from foreign interests to candidates? |
Code
Yes
Source
Source: Article 70, (a) and (b), Elections General Act, 2008 |
3. Is there a ban on corporate donations to political parties? |
Code
No
Source
Source: Article 33, Political Party Act, 2013 |
4. Is there a ban on corporate donations to candidates? |
Code
No
Source
Source: Article 70, 72, Elections General Act, 2008 |
5. Is there a ban on donations from Trade Unions to political parties? |
Code
No
Source
Source: Article 37, Political Party Act, 2013 |
6. Is there a ban on donations from Trade Unions to candidates? |
Code
No
Source
Source: Article 70, 72, Elections General Act, 2008 |
7. Is there a ban on anonymous donations to political parties? |
|
8. Is there a ban on anonymous donations to candidates? |
Code
Yes
Source
Source: Article 70 (d), Elections General Act, 2008 |
9. Is there a ban on donations from corporations with government contracts to political parties? |
Code
No
|
10. Is there a ban on donations from corporations with government contracts to candidates? |
Code
No
|
11. Is there a ban on donations from corporations with partial government ownership to political parties? |
Code
Yes
Source
Source: Article 70, Elections General Act, 2008 |
12. Is there a ban on donations from corporations with partial government ownership to candidates? |
Code
Yes
Comment
Candidates and parties on behalf of candidates have a ban on accepting donations from companies with government ownership. Source
Source: Article 70, Elections General Act, 2008 |
13. Is there a ban on the use of state resources in favour or against a political party or candidate? |
Code
Yes
Comment
There are bans on using government offices for political parties, bans on government employees using their influence for a political party, there are bans on state media providing a candidate more than 10% of air-time received by a competing candidate. Source
Source: Article 70, 74, Elections General Act, 2008 Source: Article 45, Political Party Act, 2013 Source: Article 13, Presidential Election Act, 2008 |
14. Is there a limit on the amount a donor can contribute to a political party during a non-election specific period? |
Code
No
Source
Source: Article 33, Political Party Act, 2013 |
15. If there is a limit on the amount a donor can contribute to a political party during a non-election specific period, what is the limit? |
Code
Not applicable
|
16. Is there a limit on the amount a donor can contribute to a political party during an election? |
Code
No
Comment
Source
Source: Article 33, Political Party Act, 2013 |
17. If there is a limit on the amount a donor can contribute to a political party during an election, what is the limit? |
Code
Not applicable
|
18. Is there a limit on the amount a donor can contribute to a candidate? |
Code
Yes, for both natural and legal persons
Comment
A natural persons contribution to a candidates election may not exceed 0.5% of the value in accordance with Article 69 of the Elections General Act 2008. A legal persons contribution to a candidates election may not exceed 2% of the value in accordance with Article 69 of the Elections General Act 2008. Article 69 states that a candidate may spend not more than the value of MVR 1500 per person multiplied with the total number of registered voters in the constituency the candidate is contending. Source
Source: Article 69, 72 (b), Elections General Act, 2008 |
19. If there is a limit on the amount a donor can contribute to a candidate, what is the limit? |
Code
1500 MVR times per registered voter in the constituency
Comment
Article 69 states that a candidate may spend not more than the value of MVR 1500 per person multiplied with the total number of registered voters in the constituency the candidate is contending. Source
Source: Article 69, 72 (b), Elections General Act, 2008 |
20. Is there a limit on the amount a candidate can contribute to their own election campaign? |
Code
No
Source
Source: Article 69, 72 (b), Elections General Act, 2008 |
21. Is there a limit on in-kind donations to political parties? |
Code
No
Source
Source: Article 33, Political Party Act, 2013 |
22. Is there a limit on in-kind donations to candidates? |
Code
No
Source
Source: Article 33 (a), Elections General Act, 2008 |
23. Is there a ban on political parties engaging in commercial activities? |
Code
No
Source
Source: Article 33 (a3), Political Party Act, 2013 |
24. Is there a ban on political parties taking loans in relation to election campaigns? |
Code
No
Source
Source: Article 33 (a5), Elections General Act 2008 |
25. Is there a ban on candidates taking loans in relation to election campaigns? |
Code
No
Source
Source: Article 72(a), Elections General Act, 2008 |
26. Is there a ban on donors to political parties/candidates participating in public tender/procurement processes? |
Code
No
|
27. Are there provisions requiring donations to go through the banking system? |
Code
Yes
Comment
Candidates are required to have a bank account opened in a bank in the Maldives and all donations are required to be deposited in to the set account, as well as all elections finances must operate through this account. Source
Source: Article 67 (a,b), Elections General Act, 2008 |
| Question | Value |
|---|---|
28. Are there provisions for direct public funding to political parties? |
Code
Yes, regularly
Source
Source: Article 33, 34, Political Party Act, 2013 |
29. What are the eligibility criteria for political parties to receive public funding? |
Code
Number of members
Comment
Public funding for political parties is eligible to parties with a minimum of 10,000 registered members. Source
Source: Article 34, 35(b), Political Party Act, 2013 |
30. What is the allocation calculation for political parties to receive public funding? |
Code
Number of members
Comment
Public funding for political parties is allocated at a value between 0.1% to 0.2% of the annual state budget
Source
Source: Article 34, 35(a), Political Party Act, 2013 |
31. What are the provisions on 'ear marking' direct public funding to political parties (how it should be used)? |
Code
No
Comment
Article 34 has a general statement that public funding is for the running of the party. Article 70 of Elections Act also states that public funding for the party can be used in elections. Source
Source: Article 34, Political Party Act, 2013 Source: Article 70b of Elections General Act, 2008 |
32. Are there provisions for free or subsidized access to media for political parties? |
Code
No
|
33. What criteria determine allocation for free or subsidized access to media for political parties? |
Code
Not applicable
|
34. Are there provisions for free or subsidized access to media for candidates? |
Code
Yes
Comment
Presidential elections candidates are entitled to free airtime from public media as allocated and publicly shared by them. Source
Source: Article 13, Presidential Election Act, 2008 |
35. Are there provisions for any other form of indirect public funding? |
Code
Yes
Comment
Political parties with a registered membership of 20,000 is allocated a 1000sqft building or a 1000sqft space in a building on rental basis for use as office space and for party activities. Source
Article 36 (a), Political Party Act 2013, 1st amendment 2015 Article 36 (a), Political Party Act, 2013
|
36. Is the provision of direct public funding to political parties tied to gender equality among candidates? |
Code
No
|
37. Are there provisions for other financial advantages to encourage gender equality in political parties? |
Code
No
|
| Question | Value |
|---|---|
38. Is there a ban on vote buying? |
Code
Yes
Source
Source: Article 74 (a3), Elections General Act, 2008 |
39. Are there limits on the amount a political party can spend? |
Code
No
Comment
There are limits to spending for candidates but not for political parties. Source
Source: Article 69, 72, Elections General Act, 2008 |
40. If there are limits on the amount a political party can spend, what is the limit? |
Code
Not applicable
|
41. Are there limits on the amount a candidate can spend? |
Code
Yes
Comment
Article 69 of the Elections General Act 2008 states that a candidate may spend not more than the value of MVR 1500 per person multiplied with the total number of registered voters in the constituency the candidate is contending.
Source
Source: Article 69, Elections General Act 2008 |
42. If there are limits on the amount a candidate can spend, what is the limit? |
Code
1500MVR per voter per constituency
Comment
Article 69 of the Elections General Act 2008 states that a candidate may spend not more than the value of MVR 1500 per person multiplied with the total number of registered voters in the constituency the candidate is contending. Source
Source: Article 69, Elections General Act 2008 |
43. Are there limits on the amount that third parties can spend on election campaign activities? |
Code
No
Source
Source: Article 71, 72, Elections General Act, 2008 |
44. Are there limits on traditional media advertising spending in relation to election campaigns? |
Code
No
|
45. Are there limits on online media advertising spending in relation to election campaigns? |
Code
No
|
46. Do any other restrictions on online media advertisement (beyond limits) exist? |
Code
No
|
| Question | Value |
|---|---|
47. Do political parties have to report regularly on their finances? |
Code
Yes
Comment
Political parties have to submit mandatory audit reports within 90 days following the end of each fiscal year. Source
Source: Article 41, Political Party Act, 2013 |
48. Do political parties have to report on their election campaign finances? |
Code
No
|
49. Do candidates have to report on their election campaign finances? |
Code
Yes
Comment
Candidates have to submit financial reports to the Elections Commission within 30 days of the election. Source
Source: Article 73 (a), Elections General Act, 2008 |
50. Do third parties have to report on election campaign finances? |
Code
No
|
51. Is information in reports from political parties and/or candidates to be made public? |
Code
Yes
Source
Source: Article 73 (d), Elections General Act, 2008 |
52. Must reports from political parties and/or candidates reveal the identity of donors? |
Code
Yes
Source
Source: Article 73 (4), Elections General Act, 2008 |
53. Must reports from political parties and/or candidates include information on itemized income? |
Code
Yes
Source
Source: Article 73 (c), Elections General Act, 2008 |
54. Must reports from political parties and/or candidates include information on itemized spending? |
Code
Yes
Source
Source: Article 73 (a & b), Elections General Act, 2008 |
55. Which institution(s) receives financial reports from political parties and/or candidates? |
Code
Comment
Political parties must submit financial reports to the Elections Commission as well as the Auditor General's Office. Candidates must submit financial reports to the Elections Commission. Source
Source: Article 41, Political Party Act, 2013 Source: Article 73, Elections General Act, 2008 |
56. Which institution(s) is responsible for examining financial reports and/or investigating violations? |
Code
Source
Source: Article 74, Elections General Act, 2008 |
57. What power is granted to the institution(s) responsible for examining reports and/or investigating violations? |
Code
Refer for investigation
Carry out investigation
Impose sanctions
Source
Source: Article 74, 75, Elections General Act, 2008
|
58. What sanctions are provided for political finance infractions? |
Code
Source
Source: Article 48, Political Party Act, 2013 |
