Restricting arrangements of referendum in a manner that prevents many from participating will raise serious questions regarding integrity and fairness of election: Waheed

Abdullah Waheed, MDP's spokesperson for the upcoming council elections, stated that the current arrangements for the upcoming national election—where a significant portion of the population is expected to participate—effectively disenfranchise Maldivians living in Sri Lanka, India, and Malaysia. He noted that preventing these citizens from voting is clear evidence that the election is unlikely to be conducted in a fair and transparent manner.

Waheed stated that the current organization of the election raises concerns that many citizens may lose their right to vote. He further noted that there is evident government influence over independent institutions.

Waheed stated that one of the primary requests from the MDP was to extend the deadline for appointing monitors and observers. He noted that the Elections Commission has addressed this concern and has now granted an extension. However, Waheed added that while the party also requested arrangements to facilitate voting for Maldivians living abroad and to reopen the re-registration process, the Commission responded that no further opportunities would be provided as those stages have already concluded.

I have observed the manner in which the country's independent institutions are currently operating under government influence. We are specifically highlighting the pressure being exerted on the Elections Commission regarding this election. We felt compelled to voice these concerns because the election is being organized in a way that will disenfranchise a significant portion of the population. In their response to us, the Elections Commission stated that since arrangements have already been finalized, there is no further room to establish additional polling stations. We have profound concerns. Given that a national election is being held alongside the local council elections, it is a process where the majority of citizens must participate in the decision-making. The fact that this election is being structured to exclude participation—specifically preventing Maldivians living in Sri Lanka, India, and Malaysia from voting—is evidence that the integrity and fairness of this electoral process are in doubt.

Election Spokesperson Abdulla Waheed

Waheed has called on the Elections Commission to refrain from shaping the electoral process in a manner that compromises its freedom and fairness by succumbing to government influence. He stated that it remains unclear how the Commission prepared itself to agree to conduct a referendum alongside the local council elections.

We have shared our concerns regarding the vote-counting process with the Elections Commission. Specifically, we requested that the referendum votes be counted first, followed by the local council election votes. This is because counting the council votes first could lead to many people leaving the premises before the next stage begins. As the process drags on, the absence of observers could open the door for potential fraud and compromise the integrity of the vote. However, the Elections Commission responded by stating that since the local council elections involve specific candidates, there is higher public interest, and therefore, those ballots will be counted first. Our request is rooted in the desire to ensure free and fair elections in the Maldives. Conducting elections in any other manner is a significant blow to democracy. It is deeply concerning that the Elections Commission appears to be following the lead of the current administration, which is acting in violation of the spirit of the Constitution. We have urged them to take the necessary steps to prevent such an outcome.

Election Spokesperson Abdulla Waheed

Furthermore, the MDP has raised concerns regarding the independence of the state broadcaster, PSM. Waheed stated that a formal complaint has been lodged with the Elections Commission, alleging that PSM is operating with bias to promote the government. He further noted that during a meeting with PSM, the broadcaster admitted to partiality in certain programs and indicated they would reconsider their approach to ensure opposition voices are also represented.

The MDP has called on the Elections Commission to ensure the independence of the election and to resist government actions that contravene the spirit of the Constitution. The party continues to advocate for elections that provide equal opportunities for all citizens and remain free from undue influence.