EC bars Haneefa from election-related work

Head of Legal Section of Elections Commission Haneefa Khalid has been barred from participating in the commission’s work related to the presidential election.

In response to a question by Sun at a press conference held today, Vice President of Elections Commission Ahmed Fayaz Hassan said that Haneefa has been barred from all work related to the presidential election until the investigation of the complaints filed against her are completed.

“Several complaints have been filed against Head of Legal Section of Elections Commission Haneefa Khalid, so until these issues are investigated, she has been barred from all work related to the election. Haneefa will not be involved in any work related to the presidential election,” said Fayaz.

He said that the complaints filed against Haneefa are under investigation, and that any action taken against her will be shared with the media after the investigations are completed.

Elections Commission Member Ali Manik also refuted recent reports that Haneefa has been working at the National Complaints Bureau established by the Elections Commission for the presidential election.

Haneefa has been accused of violating ethics standards and attempting to defame the police. A case against her in this regard has been sent by the police to the Attorney General’s Office.

Sun has come to know that Haneefa Khalid visited a police investigation office as a lawyer of a suspect arrested for theft by the police, and while speaking in defence of her client, spoke in a disrespectful manner to the police officers there.

The Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) has also filed several complaints against Haneefa Khalid to the police, including a complaint about a tweet regarding former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.

PPM has said that a person should not be allowed to hold a high post in an independent institution such as the Elections Commission, after she has been involved in such derogatory activities.

The Elections Commission Regulation states that an employee of the commission shall not be employed anywhere else, and Former Director General of the Elections Commission Mohamed Tholal was dismissed when he was appointed as the president of the Athletics Association.

When asked why similar action is not being taken against Haneefa, Fayaz said, “Necessary action will be taken against Haneefa once the investigation is completed.”