Free and fair election cannot be carried out under the current EC: Opposition
None of the four parties of the allied opposition believe that Elections Commission is an ethical and trustworthy panel
Some of the allied opposition members
The allied opposition parties have stated that a free and fair election cannot be held under the current Elections Commission which in their words.
Speaking in a press conference held by the allied opposition on Sunday at Jumhooree Party (JP) national campaign site Kunooz in Maafannu ward of capital city Male', JP's Secretary General Ahmed Sameer said that none of the four parties bringing together the allied opposition believe that Elections Commission is an ethical and trustworthy panel.
Sameer said that the allied opposition will act on their party policies and that although the Elections Commission declares that President Yameen is the leader of all political parties, the allied opposition refuses to accept this.
He added that it worries the allied opposition that the EC is to regulate political parties under the 'unethical' command of recently elected commission president, Ahmed Shareef.
"The EC's actions have put us all under anguish. A free and fair election absolutely cannot be carried out under the biased rule of current EC members" Sameer said.
Also speaking at the conference, Parliament member for Maduvvari constituency Mohamed Ameeth said that the EC continues to meddle in the affairs of legally established institutions and bring alterations to the policies of political parties.
Ameeth said that ever since Shareef tookover the commission, their only priority has been to bring political party leaders under their influence and. He added that the changes being brought to the constitution will even bar those alleged to have committed a criminal offence from holding leadership positions in the parties.
Chief of Adhaalath Party's media committee Ali Nazeer said that EC does not have the right to set the rules for political parties, adding that all political parties as well as the EC must be regulated under the constitution.
Maldivian Democratic Party's Secretary General Anas Abdul Sattar said that the party has been working to bring equality to all political parties in bringing forth their candidates for the presidential elections, adding that the EC does not have the power to limit candidacy.
The opposition's criticisms toward the EC have been intense ever since the commission on the 12th of April declared that candidates for the presidential elections will be selected under a specific legal ambit.
