Civil Service Commission (CSC) has instructed civil service offices to take action against individuals contesting in the parliamentary elections without resigning from their civil service positions in the designated timeframe. The instruction from CSC follows the announcement by Elections Commission of Maldives that the parliamentary elections would be held in March 2019.
In a circular issued, the commission noted some civil servants have expressed interest to contest in the elections and therefore, as per law, should resign, six months prior to the election date. CSC instructed permanent secretaries at ministries, senior responsible officers at government offices to take action prescribed in laws and regulations, against those who fail to adhere to the provision regarding resigning from the civil service to contest in the election.
Article 51 subsection (a) of the Civil Service Act states employees of the Maldivian civil service intending to contest in elections prescribed in the constitution should resign 6 months prior to the date of the election.
Article 51 subsection (b) of the Civil Service Act states employees contesting in an election stipulated in subsection (a) without resignation, shall be dismissed.