EC members have failed for exercising right to silence: President

The “Elections Commission members” who exercised their right to silence during a recent police investigation have failed in their duties, President Abdulla Yameen has said.

The President’s comments came less than 24 hours after the former Elections Commission chief Fuad Thaufeeq, who was recently dismissed by the Supreme Court, stayed silent when summoned to the police.

Speaking at a campaign event by the ruling coalition last night, President Yameen said that people with constitutional responsibilities cannot exercise the right to silence in the manner that normal citizen can, and that the official has failed when he stayed silent when asked about the degree in which the electoral right of the citizens are protected.

“Because he must make this clear to the Maldivian people. He is not in a position to choose the right to silence. In my mind, I have decided. The Elections Commission members, those who stayed silent have failed,” President Abdulla Yameen said.

Strongly criticizing the parliament, President Yameen said the Speaker of the Parliament Abdulla Shahid and opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MPs have emphatically stated they will not approve the two remaining Elections Commission vacancies. Parliament does not want to fulfill its constitutional responsibilities, President Yameen said.