EC refused to provide stamped hard copy of Voters

Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) has said that the Elections Commission (EC) has refused to comply with the party’s request for a hard copy of the Voters’ List with the commission’s stamp.

Chairperson of PPM Election Committee Mohamed Tholaal said this while speaking at a press conference held at Nasandhura Palace Hotel today.

“We were told that the list will be provided if we pay for the printing. They gave the price last night, which was MVR 79,000. We said that we want the list anyway, and also said that we want the commission’s signature or stamp on the list. But they have refused both these requests,” he said.

Secretary General of EC Asim Abdul Sattar said regarding the prices for printing the Voters’ Lists, that political parties were informed of the prices quoted by three groups for printing the list.

He said that M7 quoted MVR 79,000 for printing within 6 hours, Ummeedhee Press quoted MVR 17,000 for printing within three days, and Novelty Printers quoted MVR 50,000 for collection when printing is completed.

Tholaal said that Elections Commission’s statement, that PPM requested to verify fingerprints on 6,000 re-registration forms after the commission had sent the forms for fingerprint verification, is not true; and that PPM made this request last Thursday, before the commission sent the forms for fingerprint verification.

He also denied the statement by the commission that the selection of forms before submitting them to the police was conducted in the presence of party officials.

Tholaal said that efforts are ongoing to check the forms provided by the commission, and PPM’s presidential candidate will endorse the lists provided that they do not have serious problems.

He urged the Elections Commission to do everything possible to ensure that the election takes place on Saturday, and said that PPM will demand justice if it is deprived of its rights.