M7 Print contracted to print ballot papers due to lack of choice: Minister

Finance minister Ahmed Munavvar has said that there had been no choice but to contract M7 Print to print the ballot papers for the presidential election.

After President Abdulla Yameen’s electoral loss, he has filed a case at the Supreme Court requesting to nullify the election result.

Among the issues raised, the case states that M7 Print was contracted to print the ballot papers without a tender process. Some members of the ruling party have also been accusing the company of being part of a conspiracy that had allegedly rigged the election.

Speaking to the state media, minister Munavvar said that M7 Print was contracted at a high price to print the ballot papers due to lack of time.

M7 Print and Novelty had submitted their tender with one security feature as asked but the Elections Commission later asked for five security features five days before election day, said Munavvar, adding that the commission also requested that M7 Print be given the contract as it supposedly was the only company that fit the new requirements.

The minister said that he gave the approval to contract M7 Print in order to proceed with the election and that this was planned out by the Elections Commission.

He said that there were reasons to believe corruption was involved in contracting M7 Print and that it should be investigated.