Confidence in institutions need to be increased: Transparency Maldives

Transparency Maldives (TM) has revealed that there is a loss of confidence in the political system and relevant institutions, and that this confidence needs to be increased and maintained in order to hold successful presidential elections this year.

TM's 2013 pre-election assessment report released today stated that the election will take place in an atmosphere of political divide, amidst fundamental legal uncertainties, and at a time where confidence in the relevant institutions have to be dramatically increased.

“The assessment recommended that institutions such as the judiciary that handles any case affecting the electoral rights of voters and candidates must ensure public confidence and must be unquestionable,” stated TM’s press statement released after the launch of the report.

Transparency Maldives states that the assessment was conducted from February 6 till March 14 and includes information gathered from meeting with key stakeholders to seek their opinions on the political and electoral environment, Elections Commission, and the legal framework.

The report states that the organization held meetings with former President and Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) presidential candidate Mohamed Nasheed, Speaker of the Parliament Abdulla Shahid, Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) Leader Ahmed Thasmeen Ali, and a number of other leaders from political parties and heads of institutions.

One of the primary concerns highlighted by organization is the failure of the elections complaints mechanisms. The organization stated that several stakeholders described the complaints system as an "utter failure".

The assessment report also proposes a number of recommendations, which mainly calls for urgent reforms to the electoral legal framework to establish an independent complaints tribunal, and better regulate the most problematic areas such as political finance and inter-agency jurisdictional issues.