The issue discussed behind closed doors by the parliamentary committee, resulted in the approval for their removal. While details of the allegations were not disclosed during the committee's review, the report presented to parliament today outlined 19 charges.
Three members of the Elections Commission (EC) have been accused of misuse of the election database during last year's presidential election and profiting from its sale.
Parliament's Independent Institutions Committee has recommended the dismissal of EC Vice-President Ali Nashath, Member Mohamed Asif, and Member Dr Mohamed Zahir.
The issue discussed behind closed doors by the parliamentary committee, resulted in the approval for their removal. While details of the allegations were not disclosed during the committee's review, the report presented to parliament today outlined 19 charges against the three members.
- Creating and selling applications based on EC data to political parties during the presidential election
- Efforts to sway the presidential election in favor of a particular political party
- Allegations of fraudulent re-registration of voters and profiting from selling citizen data from the EC database
- Creating fake forms to dissolve a political party and obstructing the party to meet the required membership threshold of 3,000 members
- Sending signature lists for a proposed party to the President’s Office to hinder its formation
- Procuring goods and computer systems from personally acquainted businesses for personal gain
- Allegations of threatening employees, pressuring committees to act in specific ways, and engaging in intimidating behavior
- Falsifying attendance on days they were absent from commission
- Attempting to discredit the EC President among staff members
- Nashath reportedly maintained close relationships with political parties and frequently met with a former President’s Office employee.
The three members were also implicated in controversies last year for allegedly obstructing the formation of The Democrats following the split from the then ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP). A no confidence motion had also been passed against the then EC President, Fuad Thaufeeq.
The parliament is scheduled to vote on the dismissal of the three members during today’s sitting.
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