Fayyaz alleges government plans e-voting to manipulate 2028 presidential election

Former Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) Chairperson Fayyaz Ismail has alleged that the government will seek to introduce electronic voting, or e-voting, in an attempt to manipulate the 2028 presidential election.

Fayyaz made the allegation while speaking at the closing session of the MDP congress on Saturday night.

Fayyaz, who has announced his intention to contest the MDP presidential primary, said one of the most important safeguards in the Constitution was the requirement for votes to be cast at polling stations, counted there and the results announced.

He said this provision had helped protect the country’s electoral system and alleged that the government would seek to change it ahead of the next presidential election.

Fayyaz further claimed that President Mohamed Muizzu was aware he would not receive sufficient public support in the next election and that the government was therefore seeking ways to remain in power.

He alleged that changing the existing voting system to electronic voting could form part of those efforts.

“The next move will be to remove this provision. They will bring in something called electronic voting and try to manipulate the vote and steal the election,” Fayyaz said.

“We will not allow room for that. You must not allow room for that either.”

Fayyaz did not provide evidence to support his allegation that the government intends to use electronic voting to manipulate the 2028 election.

His remarks follow previous claims by some MDP members that the government’s Maldives 2.0 digital transformation programme could be used to introduce electronic voting as part of an effort to interfere with elections.

President Muizzu has previously rejected those allegations.

The Maldives 2.0 initiative is intended to digitise government services and state systems. Opposition figures have, however, raised concerns about the implications of the programme for state data and electoral processes.

Elections Commission President Mohamed Shakeel has previously said there is no legal or technical barrier that would make the introduction of electronic voting impossible, but that the public is not yet ready for such a system.

Speaking in July, Shakeel said public awareness would be required before any transition to e-voting, particularly given public concerns and allegations about the possibility of electoral fraud.

Shakeel is the current President of the Elections Commission. He was appointed as a member of the commission in June before later assuming its presidency.

The next presidential election is due in 2028. Fayyaz is among several MDP figures who have expressed interest in seeking the party’s presidential ticket.