Annulled voters

Abdulla Saeed, President of Maldivian Democratic Party’s (MDP) Addu City Feydhoo branch has released a report stating the party’s parliamentary primary for Feydhoo was conducted in a non-conducive atmosphere.

The report revealed that on the day of the election, the community was under duress from threats to voters from candidates and their supporters. Officials were forced to use a voters' list that had earlier been annulled, Abdulla Saeed's report said.

“Candidates and their supporters were constantly obstructing the election and demanding that some excluded names be included in the voters' list. The annulled voters’ list had to be used as the primary source over fears of physical damage, as well as damage to property,” the report by MDP’s Feydhoo branch president read.

Abdulla Saeed's report also stated that disputes over the voters's list had forced voting to be postponed for over two hours and that candidates and supporters refused to allow the officials to close voting on time.

“Although the party’s election committee had directed that voting be closed on the pre-determined time, voting had to be extended by one hour over threats of violence by candidates,” the report said.

Members from rival parties were also included in the voters’ list and other political parties could have influenced the primary, concluded the report.

Candidates have not signed the final results sheet for Feydhoo and some candidates have rejected the primary results.