Committee instructed to complete PNC probe in 2 days

Elections Commission (EC) has established a three-member committee to investigate a complaint over People’s National Congress (PNC)’s use of Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM)’s property, and has instructed the committee to complete its investigation within two days.

Spokesperson and member of EC, Ahmed Akram reports it has established a committee – made up of two appointees from EC’s legal department and one appointee from EC’s law firm to look into the complai

Spokesperson and member of EC, Ahmed Akram reports it has established a committee – made up of two appointees from EC’s legal department and one appointee from EC’s law firm to look into the complaint.

Akram said the committee has been instructed to complete its investigation within two days.

The complaint over the use of PPM’s assets by PNC was filed by a member of the general public last Sunday. It can hours before PNC held its inaugural congress on Sunday night.

PNC is spearheaded by former Maldivian President and Leader of PPM, Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom, and former Deputy Leader of PPM, MP Abdul Raheem Abdulla has been elected PNC’s Interim Leader.

Regulation on Political Parties empowers the EC to terminate permission issued to new political parties which wish to officially register their party, if it is found to be using assets of an existing political party or found to have misrepresented themselves or used undue influence during the formation and registration process.

The complaint comes after Maumoon Reform Movement (MRM) by former Maldivian President and former Leader of PPM, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom recently accused PNC of using PPM’s assets, including holding meetings to sign new members to PNC inside the PPM headquarters.

The address of PNC headquarters, according to the membership application form of PNC, is H. Hurafa, the same address as PPM headquarters.