Adhaalath Party rules out in person voting for election

Adhaalath Party has said ballot boxes will not be used in this month’s internal election for its party president.

Dr Ikram Abdul Sattar and the party’s incumbent vice president, Sheikh Mohamed Shifan, were the only nominees when the nomination period closed.

Dr Ikram, who is contesting the presidency, raised concerns about potential electoral fraud and called for e-voting to be dismissed. He referred the matter to Elections Commission (EC) and the party, warning that online voting could be manipulated to disrupt the process.

In response, the party’s Election Committee chairperson, Ali Rasheed, said in a letter that the election is being conducted in line with the party constitution and internal election policies.

He added that the party’s regulations do not allow voting via ballot boxes and that the process is being conducted transparently and fairly. Rasheed urged members not to make statements that could cast doubt on the election.

Dr Ikram, who holds a bachelor’s, master’s and PhD in Shariah and Law from the International Islamic University of Malaysia, has been largely absent from party activities for several years, citing concerns that the party has deviated from its founding principles since 2017. His running mate is Mohamed Muththalib, the current State Minister of Fisheries.

Sheikh Mohamed Shifan, the other candidate, holds a degree in judiciary from Medina University and a Master of Business Administration from the Business School of Maldives.