EC President defends position amidst no-confidence vote

Members of the Elections Commission (EC) passed a no-confidence motion against the President of the commission, Fuad Thaufeeq, last week.

Despite facing a no-confidence motion, EC President Fuad will not lose his position, as such decisions fall under the purview of the Maldives parliament. According to EC regulations, members appointed to specific posts in the commission can only be removed through either voluntary resignation or the parliament's approval for a dismissal.

Vice President of the commission, Ismail Habeeb said that the commission's members lost faith in Fuad following his comments during the establishment of The Democrats, the political party led by Parliament Speaker Mohamed Nasheed.

It has been revealed that some members of the commission were refusing to participate in any meetings or assemblies that involved the commission's president.

"Fuad had entrusted me with EC responsibilities to oversee all elections-related proceedings," Habeeb said.

The no-confidence motion against Fuad was submitted on Tuesday last week during a meeting chaired by Habeeb and attended by three members of the commission; Ali Nashath, Dr. Mohamed Zahir, and Mohamed Asif.

According to Article 177 of the Maldives Constitution, an EC member can be removed from office on the grounds of misconduct, incapacity, or incompetence, but such removal requires the approval of the Maldives Parliament.

Fuad said that the no-confidence vote from the members was a violation of the commission's regulations and affirmed that he would not be resigning from his position.

He further said that the meeting where his no-confidence was approved did not include the motion on its agenda and had been added at the last minute. Fuad, who had been an EC member during the previous term as well, reiterated that he has not acted in breach of the constitution.

Fuad said that the grievances of the EC members are a result of his unwavering refusal to delay certain matters, although he did not provide specific details about these matters.

"I will not succumb to the pressures, and it is in the best interest of the nation for me to maintain my position at this time. I will not resign, regardless of any obstacles," Fuad said.

The EC president said that he would accept his dismissal by the Parliament if such a decision is made.

With the election just a few months away, political parties have begun to express concerns about the internal conflicts of the Elections Commission.

However, Fuad assured that the electoral process would not be hindered by any internal proceedings of the commission. He said that the commission's current efforts were aligned with the elections schedule and expressed confidence in conducting a fair election this year.

Habeeb has assumed the role of the chair of the EC after other members refused to attend meetings in Fuad's presence. Furthermore, one of the commission members is set to conclude their term this week, which will leave the commission with four members until the presidential elections.