PNF’s challenge to eFaas rules remains undecided as council election nominations close

The High Court has not decided whether it will accept a constitutional case challenging the requirement to use eFaas for filing candidacies and collecting supporter signatures for independent candidates in the upcoming local council and Women’s Development Committee (WDC) elections.

The case was filed last week by the People’s National Front (PNF). However, the deadline for submitting nominations for the April 4 elections expired at 17:30 on Sunday without any response from the court.

Former Technology Minister Mohamed Maleeh Jamal said the High Court had not issued any communication on the matter by the time the nomination window closed. He argued that the delay contradicts both judicial standards and constitutional principles, noting that the court has not even decided whether to admit the case.

Former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom also raised concerns during a PNF rally on Tuesday night. He criticised the Election Commission (EC) for requiring eFaas authentication for election processes while courts continue to rely on paper-based procedures. Yameen said he had filed a case at the High Court regarding the use of eFaas and believed the matter could have been decided if the court had acted before the nomination period ended.

Former Home Minister Umar Naseer has likewise objected to the mandatory use of eFaas. In a letter to EC Chairman Mohamed Zahid, he highlighted that independent candidates must collect 50 signatures, and each signatory must verify their support by logging in through eFaas. Umar argued that only around 10 percent of Maldivians are familiar with using eFaas and urged the EC to repeal the requirement.

The High Court has not yet commented on when it will decide on the admissibility of the case.