Call to halt Adhaalath Party e-voting over potential rigging concerns

Dr. Ikram Abdulla Sattar, a candidate for the presidency of Adhaalath Party, has formally requested the Elections Commission (EC) to intervene and halt the use of electronic voting (e-voting) in the party’s upcoming internal election.

Dr. Ikram alleged that there is potential for the e-voting system to be manipulated by the party’s administration. He expressed concerns that an online system lacks the transparency of traditional methods and could allow the current leadership to interfere with the results to favor their preferred candidate.

The presidential election for the Adhaalath Party, which was founded by a prominent group of religious scholars, is scheduled for January 31, 2026. Following the close of nominations last Thursday, the race was narrowed down to two candidates: Dr. Ikram and the current Vice President, Sheikh Mohamed Shifan. The party has announced that because there is more than one contender, a secret ballot will be conducted via an electronic voting system.

In his letter to the EC, Dr. Ikram argued that conducting the election online is unacceptable and undermines the integrity of the process. He noted that during the last election, which saw the appointment of the outgoing president Imran Abdulla, members had already raised questions about the validity of online voting.

Dr. Ikram warned that if the vote remains digital, the competing candidate and his running mate, both of whom currently serve as Vice Presidents under Imran Abdulla, would have the opportunity to "interfere" with the system directly from the party office.

"My opponent and his running mate are the two current Vice Presidents under Sheikh Imran Abdulla. As individuals who are actively involved in the day-to-day management of the party, any online voting process would necessarily involve their participation and assistance," Dr. Ikram stated. 

"Given these circumstances, no one would doubt that they could interfere in the voting process, manipulate the votes, and change the outcome of the election."

Dr. Ikram pointed out that since there is no state of emergency or crisis preventing physical gatherings, the party should facilitate an open election rather than a digital one. He noted that other political parties in the Maldives do not rely on e-voting for such critical internal decisions.

He has urged the Adhaalath Party’s election committee to cancel the online vote and instead adopt the traditional paper-ballot system, which he believes is the only method trusted by the Maldivian public and supported by the Elections Commission in other forums.

Dr. Ikram, a senior lecturer at the Islamic University of Maldives (IUM), holds a PhD in Shariah and Law from the International Islamic University Malaysia and has been a member of the Adhaalath Party since its inception in 2005.

However, he noted that he has been distanced from the party’s activities for roughly six years, as he believes the party's direction has deviated from its original purpose since 2017. His running mate for this election is Mohamed Muththalib, the current State Minister for Fisheries. His opponent, Sheikh Shifan, holds a degree in Shariah from the Islamic University of Madinah and a Master’s in Business Administration.