Police registers PNF’s criminal case against Shakeel

The Maldives Police Service has officially registered a complaint filed by the People’s National Front (PNF), the party of former president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom, seeking a criminal investigation into Elections Commission (EC) President Mohamed Shakeel, alleging that its members are being unlawfully removed from the party’s membership registry.

The PNF submitted its request for a criminal investigation last Thursday. In a letter sent to Yameen on Monday, the police confirmed that the complaint was formally accepted for investigation on Sunday.

Speaking outside the Henveiru Police Station before filing the complaint, PNF's Deputy President Dr. Mohamed Jameel Ahmed stated that the party’s investigations indicate that members are being removed from the registry through the EC in violation of established regulations. Jameel claimed that the party has significant evidence showing that individuals are being registered with other political parties while PNF members are being removed without their consent or authorization.

He confirmed that the request for a criminal investigation against Shakeel was submitted based on these allegations.

However, the EC issued a statement on Friday denying the allegations. The Commission urged political parties to refrain from disseminating misinformation that could undermine public confidence in the Commission and the integrity of the political party membership system. The Commission also called on all stakeholders to conduct their political activities responsibly.

The Commission stated that the ‘eFaas’ digital identity system has been integrated into the political party membership process to address longstanding complaints concerning fraudulent membership enrollments and removals.

According to the EC, the current system allows citizens to independently join or resign from political parties through their personal eFaas accounts. The Commission emphasized that the process constitutes a direct transaction between an individual and the respective political party and is a personal decision made within the framework of individual freedom, without the involvement of a third party.

The Commission further stated that under the secure and transparent system currently in place, it is technically impossible for the Elections Commission or any other entity to remove an individual from a party's membership registry or transfer them to another party's registry without the individual's knowledge.