While the deadline to submit party audit reports is two days away, Elections Commission (EC) said that only three political parties have submitted the report so far.

Elections Commissioner Ahmed Shareef told RaajjeMV that the last day to submit the audit reports, as per the Political Parties’ Act, is May 9 and that only three had done so by Tuesday.

They are; main ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), Jumhooree Party (JP) and Maldives Development Alliance (MDA).

Parties that have yet to submit the report are, Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), Adhaalath Party (AP) and Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP).

While three new parties- People’s National Congress (PNC), Maldives Labour and Social Democratic Party (Labour Party) and Maldives Third-Way Democratic (MTD) were registered within the past year, they do not have to submit an audit report this year.

The Commission highlighted that parties that do not comply with regulations will be penalized. According to the parties’ act, those that fail to submit the audit report could face a fine of MVR 20,000 to MVR 50,000.

Earlier in May, EC decided to seek legal action against the parliamentary election candidates that failed to provide financial records.