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PNC camp. (Atoll Times File Photo)

EC gets over 400 complaints on party forms; 60% on PNC

Following its membership drive, the PNC has become the largest political party in the Maldives, with over 68,000 members.

30 January 2025
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Elections Commission (EC) has received 416 complaints in the past six days following the release of the political party register, with 60% of the complaints concerning alleged fraudulent membership forms submitted by the ruling Progressive National Congress (PNC).

The PNC has been accused of enrolling individuals without their consent during a membership drive last year to reach 75,000 members by the government's first-year anniversary. The EC made the political party register public on the 23rd of this month.

According to statistics shared with Atoll Times on Thursday, 252 complaints have been filed against the PNC, the highest among all parties.

Complaints have been registered against all political parties, with the Jumhooree Party (JP), led by businessman and Maamigili MP Gasim Ibrahim, receiving 54 complaints.

Complaints against other parties include:

  • Adhaalath Party: 27

  • Maldives Development Alliance (MDA): 26

  • Maldives Third-Way Democrats (MTD): 19

  • Maldives National Party (MNP): 14

  • Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP): 13

  • Maldives Reform Movement (MRM) (now dissolved): 8

  • Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM): 6

  • The Democrats: 3

  • People's National Front (PNF): 3

EC member and spokesperson Hassan Zakariyya stated that complaints include cases where individuals were unknowingly registered under a political party. He confirmed that once a complaint is received, the individual will either be removed from the party register or reinstated in their previous registration.

The EC has set the deadline for complaints until the 10th of next month. Complaints can also be submitted through the EC portal. Zakariyya added that complaints can still be submitted after the deadline, as has been the standard practice.

In the last two quarters of the previous year, approximately 300 complaints were filed with the EC regarding party memberships.

Under the Political Parties Act, if an individual is unlawfully registered as a party member, the responsible party can be fined between MVR 5,000 and MVR 10,000 per form. W

hen asked whether parties would be fined in the current case, Zakariyya stated that the matter is under police investigation, and the commission will determine penalties after the investigation concludes.

The PNC has stated that verifying membership forms is the responsibility of the EC.

The commission has temporarily suspended the acceptance of membership forms after allowing submissions until the end of this month. From the 15th of next month, applications will be processed through eFaas.

Following its membership drive, the PNC has become the largest political party in the Maldives, with over 68,000 members. According to the EC register, approximately 39,000 members joined the party between August and December last year.

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