Markers to be used on election day will contain ink that vanishes within hours: MDP Deputy Chairperson

Main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) Deputy Chairperson Ali Niyaz has revealed a plot to import faulty markers that contain disappearing ink to use in the approaching Presidential Election of 2018.

Speaking at a press conference hosted by the Joint Opposition Parties on Tuesday, Niyaz said that they had received information that the markers to be brought in for the day of the ballots are specialized ones that contain ink that disappears from the voter’s finger within hours after being marked.

As such, the source had evidently revealed that using said markers had been discussed during the pre-training programs of previous elections, but that the Elections Commission states that they have already ordered for said markers for this year’s Presidential Election.

“In previous elections, they had revealed said markers and ink during training programs. But this year, they have supposedly placed orders already. The ink of these markers vanishes within hours after marking voters. This has been done to pave way for double voting” said Niyaz.

However, Niyaz added that results never end positively since Maldivian citizens are fully conscious of such fraudulent practices, going on to say that citizens will not in any way make it easy for President Yameen to cheat in the September polls.

Also speaking at the press, Adhaalath Party’s Human rights committee chair Ahmed Nooman said that the opposition coalition has received information that the government is planning to bring in tablet computers to be used in the ballots in collaboration with China.

Nooman added that the EC is trying to influence the whole process of the election by manipulating the results of the ballots with the use of these tablet computers. Nooman called on state institutions to be cautious of such things.

MDP Deputy Chair said that foreign journalists who will be arriving to observe the Maldives Presidential Election are also facing hindrances this time. As such, Niyaz added that these hindrances will get in the way of holding a free, fair and transparent election, going on to call on the Maldives Broadcasting Commission and Media Council to track the perpetrators behind these actions and take measures to prevent the practice of fraudulent acts.

RaajjeMV was unable to attain a comment from EC regarding these allegations against them at the time of publishing.