The Election Commission (EC) has approved the formation of The Democrats.
EC on Sunday granted permission to MP Hassan Latheef, founder of The Democrats, to hold the inaugural rally of the new political party.
Last week, The Democrats filed a lawsuit against the EC for allegedly withholding permission to form the party.
The Democrats said membership forms of 3000 supporters were submitted to the EC on June 1 and the verification of the forms was done within two weeks.
But the commission delayed issuing permission for the party's registration, the party alleged.
It added that the three months given by law to the EC to issue permits is a period to verify the forms and there is no legal basis to withhold permission when the verification process is completed.
But the commission's Vice President Ismail Habeeb had earlier said that the inaugural congress for the formation of The Democrats can take place on the first official working day after the Eid holidays.
The EC's decision came after an online consultation with the commission members amid a heated debate over the lack of a quorum to approve The Democrats formation.
The creation of The Democrats was proposed by a group of MPs who support Speaker of Parliament Mohamed Nasheed and left the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).
The 3000 signatures needed to form the party were gathered and submitted to the commission on June 1. Since then, Nasheed also resigned from the MDP in June.
