The opposition political parties have questioned the possibility of the Elections Commission of the Maldives (ECM) being able to hold a free and fair presidential election.
During a press conference, senior members of five political parties, including the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), the Maldives National Party (MNP), the Maldives Reform Movement (MRM), Jumhooree Party (JP), and The Democrats voiced severe criticisms against ECM.
At the press conference, Hassan Latheef, who is leading efforts to form The Democrats, expressed concerns about the integrity of ECM due to recent actions. He specifically highlighted the obstruction faced by The Democrats in their formation process.
Also at the press conference, Vice President of PPM Ahmed Shiyam strongly criticised ECM, accusing them of irresponsible behavior and raising doubts about their ability to conduct a fair presidential election. He expressed concern that the electoral body is disregarding established regulations, which raises serious questions about the integrity of the electoral process.
The parties present at the press conference expressed their determination to address the concerns they have regarding ECM. They emphasised their commitment to work collectively in holding ECM and other institutions accountable for their actions. They also clarified that their collaboration does not imply the formation of a coalition.
ECM has assured that the upcoming presidential election will maintain the same standards of freedom and fairness as previous elections. Independent organizations closely monitoring the process have affirmed that there is no possibility of fraud or cheating compromising the integrity of the elections. Since the introduction of multi-party elections, it has been common for the opposition parties to raise concerns and question the extent of freedom in the electoral process.