Referendum is being held under government pressure on EC: Niyaz

Former Hulhumale' MP Ali Niyaz has stated that the upcoming referendum is being held by the Elections Commission (EC) under duress from the current administration.

Speaking at an MDP press conference on Tuesday, Niyaz stated that there are significant concerns regarding the Local Council Elections, the Women's Development Committee elections, and the referendum scheduled for April 4. He noted that these issues have also been highlighted by Transparency Maldives.

Noting that the integrity of these elections is already being questioned, Niyaz stated that the referendum is being forced upon the Elections Commission by the government through its supermajority in Parliament. He further asserted that the electoral process is being handled improperly, adding that even the Commission admits there is insufficient time to adequately raise public awareness ahead of the vote.

Niyaz stated that the Elections Commission (EC) and state institutions are only presenting arguments in favor of the proposal, noting that the paper submitted by the EC fails to outline any reasons for a dissenting vote. He remarked that if this approach continues, the referendum ballot should simply feature a single checkbox for a "Yes" vote.

When major constitutional amendments are introduced, a vote conducted under duress—where state institutions present only a one-sided narrative—cannot be considered a fair election. As we have previously highlighted, the President is effectively leveraging a supermajority to exert pressure on the Elections Commission. The Commission itself stated that a minimum of 120 days would be required to organize the process and conduct necessary public awareness campaigns. However, during the committee stage, this timeframe was slashed to just 45 days. Consequently, the Elections Commission is being rushed into holding a vote without adequately informing the public, effectively forcing citizens into a decision-making process for which they are not sufficiently prepared.

Former Hulhumale' MP Ali Niyaz

Niyaz stated that despite the government's extensive efforts to manipulate the referendum, the public is now well-informed of the situation. He noted that the prevailing sentiment across the Maldives is to reject the vote. Furthermore, he asserted that even government officials and supporters of the People's National Congress (PNC) would vote against the referendum.