Meekail alleges PNC of Maldives' largest identity fraud

Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) Member of Parliament Meekail Ahmed Naseem on Thursday accused the ruling Progressive National Congress (PNC) of orchestrating the largest identity fraud in the country’s history.

The allegations were made during an extraordinary sitting of parliament, where the independent institutions committee’s report on appointing two vacant members to the Elections Commission (EC) was discussed.

Meekail stated that individuals were added to the PNC’s membership list without their consent, allegedly using stolen membership forms. He claimed that the activity was carried out with the involvement of the Department of National Registration (DNR) database and linked Home Minister Ali Ihsan to the incident.

“This is not the way to add members to a party,” Meekail said, referencing a newspaper report quoting PNC member Asma Rasheed.

He called the alleged actions a disgrace and shared a photograph purportedly showing the Home Minister overseeing the activity. The photograph had been circulating on social media.

In response, PNC MPs disputed the allegations. Thulusdhoo MP Ibrahim Naseem called for members to focus on the report being discussed. PNC parliamentary group leader Ibrahim Falah described the photograph as fabricated, accusing the MDP of creating false evidence.

The session also included references to other instances of alleged misconduct. Meekail highlighted concerns raised by the public about forms reportedly found within the DNR. He stated that the Independent Institutions Committee should investigate the matter and confirm its validity to the EC.

The MDP announced plans to file a no-confidence motion against home minister Ali Ihsan in parliament.

Further developments include: