Tag: EC

Elections Commission deputy backs dropping fingerprinting for party membership applications

A decision by Parliament’s Independent Institutions Committee to cease requiring fingerprints on political party application forms has been welcomed by Vice President of Elections Commission (EC) Ahmed Fayaz, who downplayed concerns over the potential for future membership fraud.

Speaking to Minivan News today, Fayaz stressed that the EC would not be officially commenting on the parliamentary commission’s decision yesterday until speaking with various party leaders. However, he claimed that he personally believed the Majlis recommendation to discontinue the use of fingerprints would make the system of membership applications more efficient and easier for both the EC and political parties.

Announcing the decision yesterday to recommend an end to fingerprinting, the Independent Institutions Committee members questioned the efficiency of such technology, arguing that no mechanism or database presently existed in the Maldives that could store the required amounts of information.

Nonetheless, local NGO the Maldivian Democracy Network (MDN) told Minivan News that while it was unsure of the efficiency of the EC’s fingerprint system, fraudulent membership registration for Maldivian political parties remained a significant problem that needed to be addressed. MDN claimed that alternative methods of party member verification should now be sought by parliament and the EC.

Fayaz responded that under regulations adopted in 2005, political parties had not been requested to submit membership forms to the EC. Instead, he said they have been required every three months to produce a list of their members including names and their ID number.

“When these lists are sent, these members should not be registered with other political parties,” he said. “[Parties] must check for themselves that these members are genuine.”

Fayaz said he believed that the present system of checking party membership lists every three months left little room for “fraud” within the system. He claimed therefore that a larger issue facing party membership rather than fraud was the state system of giving payments to parties on the basis of which group had the largest number of followers.

Fayaz accepted that the use of a verification system “like fingerprinting” could help stop possible fraud within party memberships, particularly in the case of people charged with recruiting members for the country’s political parties.

“I think some of the people doing recruiting [for parties] may in cases go beyond the rules,” he said, noting that there had been an improvement in following regulations in recent years.

Upon taking his oath of office along with current EC President Fuad Thaufeeq back in 2009, Fayaz claimed they had discovered “a culture” at the commission where regulations were often not being followed as required under laws outlining political party memberships.

“Perhaps under pressure from political parties there was a regulation where membership lists were not being checked every quarter,” he added, claiming that regulations were now being upheld up by the EC.

Speaking to Minivan News yesterday, MDN Executive Director Humaida Abdul Gafoor said the NGO was extremely concerned at ongoing cases of members being signed up to parties fraudulently.

“Often, people are not aware they have been signed up,” she stated. “It is imperative that it is down to an individual to decide which party they want to belong to and no one else.”

Humaida Abdul Gafoor said it was vital that some form of verification mechanism was in place to ensure party memberships were genuine, adding that a bigger issue facing the committee was in finding alternatives to the fingerprint technology, rather than simply halting it.

“We don’t know if the EC’s adoption of fingerprinting was a move in the right direction in first place,” she added.

System criticism

Explaining the decision to discontinue the EC’s request for fingerprints, Deputy Chairman of the Independent Institutions Committee, Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Ahmed Sameer, said that the Maldives did not presently have a mechanism or system to collect and store such information.

“In regards to issues with the fingerprinting system, the EC, Department of National Registration and the Maldives Police Service all agreed they didn’t have enough records or verification systems available,” he told Minivan News.

One ongoing critic of the EC’s fingerprint system is MP Ahmed Mahloof of the government-aligned Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM).

Back in September, Mahloof alleged via local media that close to 8000 membership forms from his party have been rejected by the Elections Commission (EC) – mainly due to the quality of fingerprints appearing on the forms.

The MP claimed that the fingerprint issue had arisen because the EC did not have sufficiently modern machinery to look at the fingerprints, relying instead on the perception of its staff – drastically limiting memberships numbers for the party.

A spokesperson for the EC told Minivan News at the time that similar complaints had been received from other political parties including the Jumhoree Party (JP), Dhivehi Rayithunge Party (DRP), and the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).

PPM MP Mahloof, DRP chief Ahmed Thasmeen Ali and DQP Leader Dr Hassan Saeed were not responding to phone calls by Minivan News at the time of going to press.

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Dr Didi turns to courts over MDP presidency dispute, after EC drops complaint

Former Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) President Dr Ibrahim Didi has said he will take concerns over the legitimacy of a no confidence motion taken against him last month to the country’s courts, after the Elections Commission (EC) dropped his complaint.

Dr Didi, along with former party Vice President Alhan Fahmy, were both voted out of their respective positions by the MDP’s National Council in a vote held on April 30. Both were dismissed through a no-confidence motion approved by 69 out of 73 votes – though Didi and Fahmy have been critical of the legality of the vote.

The MDP has contended that the dismissal case is “over” following the passing of the no-confidence motion against the president and vice president.

However, Dr Didi told Minivan News today that his lawyers were currently sending a case to the courts regarding his dismissal from the party’s presidency. He contends the no confidence motion was not taken in line with the MDP’s approved regulations registered with the EC at the time.

The comments were made as the EC this week said there was no action it could take relating to concerns raised by the former party president over the legality of the no-confidence motion against him.

EC Vice President Ahmed Fayaz claimed that the commission had not ruled on whether the MDP National Council had acted according to its regulations in dismissing the party president and vice president.  Nonetheless, Fayaz added there was also no evidence to suggest the dismissal was unconstitutional under basic regulations.

“Dr Didi has sent us a letter stating that his dismissal was against the party’s constitution; as a regulator we looked into the matter,” he said. “We can’t say anything about whether the party acted according to its regulations, but we have not found any grounds that it was unconstitutional under these rules.”

Fayaz said Dr Didi’s dismissal from the presidency did not also appear to be in breach of regulations that were put in place when multi-party democracy was established under the tenure of former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom in 2005.

Fayaz added that legislation that would oversee and outline correct procedures for operating political parties – such as no confidence motions against senior figures – did not currently exist.  He added that the lack of such a law limited the action that could be taken in such a case.

Though a law to oversee governance among the country’s parties is demanded under the present constitution, the bill had still yet to be passed by the Majlis, Fayaz said.

Court motion

Dr Ibrahim Didi said that, as the EC do not have legal grounds to rule on the no confidence motion, he would now work to submit a court case raising his concerns about the nature of his dismissal.

Dr Didi said he believed the MDP did not have proof to support claims that he has been dismissed legitimately in line with party regulations, which were amended on May 17, 2012.

“They [the party’s national council] do not have a legal right to take a no confidence motion under the registered regulations,” he added.

Dr Didi also raised concerns about the legitimacy of former President Nasheed’s exact position within the MDP following the controversial transfer of power in February that saw President Mohamed Waheed Hassan succeed him into office.

Didi raised issue that Nasheed retained leadership of the MDP despite no longer holding the position of Maldivian President.

Responding to Dr Didi’s criticisms, MDP Spokesperson Hamid Abdul Ghafoor said his dismissal case was “over” as far as the party was concerned.

Ghafoor pointed to several factors such as the findings of the EC, as well as the 95 percent council voting majority that approved the no confidence motion.

“When you have a 95 percent vote of no confidence against you by the party’s national council, I would say the case is over,” he said. “However, Dr Didi does not want to accept this.”

Ghafoor claimed additionally that the issue of former President Nasheed’s leadership role in the party was “not controversial” and had been agreed by the MDP council on February 8.

“During a MDP National Council resolution passed on February 8, we have always maintained that this government – [President Waheed’s administration] illegally came to power,” he said. “We believe that Nasheed remains our legitimate president and leader and will continue to do so for the full five year-term he was elected.”

The issue of legitimacy over the no confidence moiton against Dr Didi has been divisive during the last month.  The India-sponsored all-party talks were stalled yet again as government-aligned parties raised the issue of legitimacy of the MDP’s present leadership.

However, Ghafoor alleged that Dr Didi’s main support as president of the MDP comes from government-aligned political figures such as former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom’s Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM). He went on to question the long-term success in relying on rival political organisations to support one’s candidacy.

“I think Dr Didi should not count on Gayoom’s supporters to back him [for the MDP presidency],” Ghafoor claimed.

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“We are ready for any election”: Elections Commission

President of the Elections Commission (EC) Fuad Thawfeeq told Minivan News the commission is ready to hold any election mandated by law.

“We are confident we can organise any election mandated by law – whether it is a presidential election, referendum, or by-election. We will serve our duty,” Fuad said.

However, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Dunya Maumoon told the BBC on Saturday that the state’s independent institutions including the Elections Commission, Human Rights Commission (HRCM) and the judiciary were not strong enough for early elections to be held.

The ousted Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has called for early elections after the party’s Mohamed Nasheed resigned on February 7 in an alleged “coup d’état.” The Commonwealth and EU have supported the call for early elections.

Unless the institutions are strengthened, elections cannot be held in the country in “the foreseeable future,” Dunya told the BBC.

The US government has pledged US$500,000 (Rf7.7 million) for an elections programme to assist Maldivian institutions in ensuring a free and fair presidential election. The assistance will be made available from July 2012.

“We will not step back in our duty”

Speaking to Minivan News, Fuad said President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan’s government had not consulted the EC on its capacity to hold early elections. However, the commission has met with foreign teams and assured them of its capacity, Fuad said.

“We told them we have already held three successful elections in the past: the country’s first multi-party election in 2008, parliamentary elections in 2009 and local council elections in 2011,” Fuad said.

“There were more than 1180 seats for the island councils, atoll councils and city councils. That was a very large and complicated election. It was very successful. So I don’t see how anyone can raise questions regarding the Election Commission’s capacity,” he added.

Fuad noted the police played an instrumental role in upholding law and order during elections: “We will need the Maldives Police Services’ help in maintaining law and order and upholding the peace. If other relevant institutions are ready, there will be no problems in holding elections. We will not step back in doing our duty. If the law mandates it, we will hold a very successful election.”

President Nasheed resigned on February 7 after elements of the police and military mutinied. The MDP has acknowledged high levels of “animosity” between its supporters and the police, and called on the police to show restrain during arrest and detention procedures.

Fuad also said upcoming parliamentary by-elections for the Kaashidhoo and Thimarafushi constituencies “may be a platform to see if conditions are right for early elections.” The elections are scheduled for April 14.

HRCM: minor role

Meanwhile, HRCM president Mariyam Azra said the commission only played a minor role in organising and conducting elections.

“We only conduct awareness programs on the citizen’s right to vote without any discrimination during elections. We have the capacity to conduct awareness programs,” Azra told Minivan News.

The HRCM also trained elections observers, but Azra noted there were no funds budgeted for training observers in the state budget for 2012.

Transparency Maldives has previously conducted election monitoring.

“Society must be disciplined”

President Dr Waheed’s Spokesperson Masood Imad told Minivan News that  law and order needs to be maintained before free and fair early elections can be held. Further, the MDP was violating law and order with its serial demonstrations, he said.

“Last night they demonstrated at the President’s house and said, “Kill the president, Kill the president”. We need guarantees from the MDP. We need to see society disciplined before free and fair elections,” Imad added.

The MDP has said it will step up its direct action program to press for early elections. The party’s supporters protested in front of Dr Waheed and Defense Minister Ahmed Nazim’s house on Saturday.

Dr Waheed’s administration also maintains that constitutional amendments would have to be made, and the Committee of National Inquiry (CNI) authorised to assess the legality of the controversial transfer of power would have to complete its inquiry before early elections could be held.

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Elections Commission expresses concern over police attacks on peaceful protest gatherings

The Elections Commission (EC) has issued a statement expressing concern that the police have been attacking and arresting Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) supporters during peaceful protest gatherings.

The commission also said it had noted that the police had dismantled all MDP protest sites across the country.

‘’We are especially concerned with how the police dismantled the MDP protest camp at Lonuziyaarai Magu (tsunami monument area),’’ the commission said. ‘’Security forces have to act within the law.’’

The Elections Commission advised police not to use unlawful force against political parties.

President of the Elections Commission Fuad Thaufeeq today told Minivan News that the commission did not know of any reason why the area should be closed for protesting.

”According to the information we have the area belongs to Male’ City Council and the MDP did get the required permission from the council,” Thaufeeq said. ”The police dismantled the area after the MDP had been there for a long time.”

‘’It is the right of all the political parties to conduct political activities any where except those areas prohibited for political activities by law,’’ the EC said in the statement. ‘’No one has the right to unlawfully obstruct anyone from obtaining this right.’’

Police pepper spraying a demonstrator

Police Superintendent Ahmed Mohamed said “certain institutions” were making statements “without asking the police their side of the story”, and appealed to these institutions not to do so.

Yesterday in a statement police said that ‘’the major operation that took place yesterday evening was to restore the peace to the capital city as well as to investigate the complaints received from public sources that criminal activity was taking place at the camping site.’’

‘’Police had definite reason to believe that the violent attacks in Male’ was connected to the protestors who started demonstrations from the Lonuziyaarai Magu ‘Raalhugandu Sarahadhu’,’’ the statement said. ‘’The police acted in this operation empowered by law under the clause 244 of Constitution of Maldives and clause 6 of Police Act 5/2008.’’

The police said the area was vacated in order to preserve the site for inspection and to search for evidence suggesting any illegal activity in the area.

‘’The public is informed that items confiscated from the area will be returned to their rightful owner in accordance to the proper police procedures, and local media is advised to report facts responsibly to the community,’’ the statement added.

The area was initially closed to journalists as police moved in to dismantle the protest site on Monday night. Police subsequently allowed journalists access and displayed a number of beer cans they claimed had been found at the site.

The protest camp has been running near the tsunami monument since the MDP government was ousted on February 7, in what former President Mohamed Nasheed maintains was a police and military-led coup de’tat, sponsored by several wealthy resort owners affiliated with the former opposition.

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PPM Submits 3600 forms to Elections Commission

The Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) has submitted 3600 forms to the Elections Commission, 600 more more than the amount required to register a political party.

Media Coordinator of PPM and MP Ahmed Nihan said there were many more party registration forms filled which had not been submitted today, so as to hasten the registration procedure.

“If too many registration forms are submitted at once it will take a long time for the Elections Commission to approve all the forms. We just want to hasten the registration procedure and finish it soon so we can get on with our next steps,’’ Nihan said.

Nihan claimed that “many Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) members” and members from other parties have signed up for former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom’s new party, PPM.

‘’The additional 600 forms were because sometimes due to information errors or other errors forms get rejected, so as a backup to replace any form that might get rejected,’’ Nihan said adding that he believes that “all forms are genuine”.

Nihan said today at the Elections Commission building none of the commission members showed up to meet the senior PPM figures, and said he regretted the incident.

‘’When some particular persons go to register a political party, the commission members take them to the hall and serves food and juice with a warm welcome. It is very unfair,’’ He said. ‘’It is we who appointed them for the commission and today the commission members were like a selfish soothsayer who pops his head out from the window when a normal person goes to see him.’’

He said that several parliamentarians and other senior figures in the PPM went today to the parliament to submit the relevant forms. Currently there were 14 MPs in the party and “very soon” the number would reach 20 or 21, he added.

President of the Elections Commisison Fuad Thaufeeq today told Minivan News that it was true that no commission member met with the PPM delegation.

‘’The commission has always treated all political parties equally and has applied the same procedure on all the parties, we always meet with senior officials of parties when the first 50 forms are submitted to the commission, and we met with senior officials from the PPM when they submitted the first 50 forms,’’ Fuad said.

Fuad explained that the forms will always be received by the staffs at the reception.

‘’The next time commission members meet with senior officials will be the day when the registration process is concluded and the 3000 forms are approved,’’ he said. ‘’That is the procedure we apply for all the political parties.’’

He said that the commission was free from influence and pressure and could not be pressured or influenced.

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PPM to submit more than 3000 forms to EC in next two days

“Surprisingly more people than expected” have signed up to the former President’s Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM), the party’s spokesperson and MP Ahmed Nihan told Minivan News today, adding that the required number of 3000 had been reached.

The PPM has been conducted a recruitment drive to obtain the 3000 signatures needed to officially form the party before the Elections Commission. Signatories are legally required to withdraw their membership from other political parties, such as the Dhivehi Rayithunge Party (DRP), for the new membership to be valid.

“Currently we are doing the work of arranging the forms in order, re-checking the filled forms to see whether all the forms are filled correctly and entering the data and filing the forms in our office,’’ Nihan said. ‘’It will not take long before we submit the forms to the Elections Commission (EC), but because the commission will dismiss any form filled incorrectly or forms with missing information, we are just double checking and preparing them for submission.”

Nihan said the party expected to submit the forms tomorrow or Tuesday.

“On the 8th of this month the commission authorised us to commence work to find the 3000 signatures, and the next day was supposed to be the day we officially began recruitment,” he explained, “but then the Hiriya incident occurred and we took four days to mourn and postponed all the work.’’

Nihan said the number of people signing up for the PPM was so many “because there are figures in the party who have gained the confidence of citizens.”

“We have former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom and other senior figures of the former government who have served the nation for 30 years, and they have brought much development to the country and there are many people who love them,” he said, adding that all such people were joining PPM.

Nihan said that PPM’s policy was to allow youth to progress, and to “always give high priority to the voice of the citizens.”

“In this battle we will bring forward the citizens and all we will give opportunities for the young persons in our party to progress,’’ he said. ‘’We are knocking on the doors of people who think it is time to bring a change in their lives.’’

When former President Gayoom announced that he was about to register a new party in the name of Progressive Party of the Maldives, Press Secretary for the President Mohamed Zuhair said that he would doubted whether Gayoom’s party would attracted enough people form a Friday prayer group – minimum of 40.

Seven MPs in the main opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) resigned to form the new party after claiming disillusionment with the party’s leadership.

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DRP files case against Z-faction for using its logo and name

The opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) led by Ahmed Thasmeen Ali has lodged a complaint with the Elections Commission (EC) alleging that the party’s Z-DRP faction, led by former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, had misappropriated DRP’s name and logo to conduct unauthorised political activities, and requested the EC take action against the faction.

DRP Spokesperson Ibrahim ‘Mavota’ Shareef told Minivan News that the party’s real concern was not that the faction was using its logo and name, which DRP MP Nihan has claimed he designed and retained rights to.

‘’It is a much greater concern when people claiming to represent [the party’s] administration and claiming to work to protect the rule of law come out and start violating those laws,’’ said Shareef. ‘’If that is the case, the public might develop a habit of disrespecting the law, and the whole nation may be affected because of this.’’

Shareef explained that the public was “new to democracy” and the principles of it, and said that leaders needed to set an example.

‘’We might think this is very funny and that this is a joke,’’ he said. ‘’But it’s much more dangerous than we thought, and it has more concerns behind it.’’

Shareef said that all political parties should respect their charters and follow it, “for it is not Gayoom’s, Thasmeen’s or my idea.”

‘’Humans do not last forever, and neither does the person in the leadership position, but when people fade away there will be the charter left behind,’’ Shareef said. ‘’That is why people need to follow it, otherwise when the leader dies, the party will die with him.’’

Furthermore, Shareef said that if the country goes on moving in the same direction, “tomorrow one might take an oath and say ‘I am the president now, see I have more supporters than the current president, see all those people who come out for protests whenever I ask.’’’

MP with the Z-DRP faction Ahmed Mahlouf and Umar Naseer did not respond to Minivan News at time of press, while MP Ahmed Nihan was unavailable.

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PA Secretary General appointed to Elections Commission

The Secretary General of the People’s Alliance (PA), the party of the former President’s half brother Abdulla Yameen, has been appointed the General Secretary of the Elections Commission (EC).

Ahmed Shareef Adam was appointed to the post out of 25 applicants who applied.

“Only five applicants fit the criteria devised by the commission. Out of them, one did not fit the criteria already set under the regulation of the commission and another application was withdrawn. So we interviewed only three applications, out of whom Shareef scored the highest and got the job,” the EC’s Executive Director Ismail Habeeb told newspaper Haveeru.

The PA announced that Shareef was resigning from his post at the party following his appointment.

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EC condemns remarks made by Dr Munawar after formation of new party fails

The Elections Commission (EC) of the Maldives has strongly condemned remarks made by Former Attorney General Dr Mohamed Munawar, after the commission said not enough people had attended the formation of his ‘Reform Movement’ party for it to be registered.

The dispute between the Elections Commission and Dr Munawar occurred after commission members appeared at a meeting held at Villa College by Dr Munawar to establish his new political party.

The formative meeting of the party required the attendance of a minimum of 300 members in order to meet the regulatory requirements for the establishment of a political party. Dr Munavar said canceled the meeting and the new party was not formed.

The Elections Commission said in a statement that ”although Dr Munavar claimed that the meeting to form his party had to be canceled when the commission members attended the meeting, the meeting must be attended by a minimum of 300 person according to Political Party Regulations 2005, 8[c]. The number of people who attended the meeting was less than 140.”

The Commission said that the meeting began the with the Quran recitation after it was announced that the legally-mandated number of people were present. But while the meeting was ongoing it was called off by Dr Munavar himself, saying that the legal number of members were not present.

”It is a responsibility of the Elections Commission to ensure that at least 300 members attend a meeting before a political party is recognised,” the Elections Commission said.

Dr Munavar later criticised the Commission’s conduct of the recent local council elections, telling VTV that the elections were held against the constitution.

The Commission said that Dr Munavar’s remarks were intended disregard the commission and smear its respect and dignity.

Dr Munavar was a former president of the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) prior to his resignation. He has been absent from politics until recently.

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