Ihsan denies claims of e-voting in 'Maldives 2.0' digitalisation

Minister of Homeland Security and Technology Ali Ihsan has rejected allegations by opposition figures that the Maldives 2.0 digitalisation project aims to introduce electronic voting in the Maldives.

The Maldives 2.0 initiative, launched on Friday, is intended to digitise government services and integrate public service delivery into a single nationwide platform. The project is being implemented with technical assistance from Estonia.

However, opposition parties, including former Youth and Sports Minister Ahmed Mahloof, have alleged that the project is being used to prepare for electronic voting in future elections.

Responding via a post on ‘X’, Minister Ihsan stated that President Mohamed Muizzu has repeatedly made it clear that all digital services from Estonia are being adopted except for e-voting.

“The reason behind this is to eliminate corruption, reduce costs, speed up services, and make processes easier for the public. It is not about e-voting,” the post read.

Minister Ihsan, who accompanied President Muizzu during the Estonia visit and holds oversight of the Maldives 2.0 project, also urged for political consensus in areas of national interest. He called for the initiative not to be turned into a political issue.

Former Minister Ahmed Mahloof, in a social media post, stated that the Maldives 2.0 campaign was a front to implement an electronic voting system. He further claimed that the results of a presidential election under such a system would be announced within two hours and cited concerns over vote manipulation.

Mahloof also alleged that some countries which had adopted e-voting are now moving away from the practice due to similar concerns.

The Maldives 2.0 project continues to be rolled out across government institutions. Digital ID cards and a legal framework to support the delivery of services through digital means are key components of the initiative.