A new Christian political party, ABBA, has filed a judicial protest against the Electoral Commission, which is refusing to register it as a party that would allow it to contest the forthcoming general elections.
The party is claiming that the commission is discriminating against over its refusal to register it according to law because its name cannot be shortened. It said the commission is insisting on an acronym when it could not have one because its name is already short.
The judicial protest was filed against Chief Electoral Commissioner Joseph Camilleri by Ivan Grech Mintoff, the former leader of Alleanza Bidla, another political party, who is now leading the new party promising to lobby in favour of "Christian" values.
In his application, Grech Mintoff explained that the new party filed for registration on August 27 for it to be formally registered and recognised as a political party.
More than a month later, the commission informed it that the party could not be registered for two reasons: the party name had to be shortened into an acronym and its statute had a missing clause on the disposal of its assets if and when disbanded.
Grech Mintoff insisted that according to law, the phrase “and any short form used” implies that the party is free to choose or not to choose a short form for its name. He said the legal provision does not specify that the use of an acronym in the statute applies also to the registration of a political party.
On the disposal of assets if the party is disbanded, Grech Mintoff said he explained to the commission that the statute explicitly states that the disposal of assets will be decided between the members of the party at the time of dissolution.
He pointed out that the statutes of other political parties that are already registered with the Electoral Commission contain no acronym of the name of the party and certain political parties have no provision on the disposal of party assets in the event of dissolution.
Grech Mintoff said that despite formally bringing the matter to the attention of the commission, including by means of a legal letter asking it to ensure that ABBA is not subjected to unfair and discriminatory treatment, no reply was forthcoming.
He said he and other ABBA members feel the commission is discriminating against them and causing unnecessary delays and inconvenience because it cannot proceed with its work.
ABBA said it was holding the commission responsible if the unnecessary delays to formally recognise it as a political party prevents the party from contesting for the forthcoming general elections.