EC denies request to have PPM logo beside Muizzu’s name

Elections Commission (EC) has denied the request to have the main opposition Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM)’s logo beside the name of Dr. Mohamed Muizzu, the presidential candidate for PPM and its coalition partner, the People’s National Congress (PNC), on the ballot paper.

After PPM leader, former president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom’s candidacy was rejected due to his criminal conviction, the PPM had endorsed Muizzu, the Male’ city mayor, who filed his candidacy on behalf of PNC.

The opposition coalition had asked the EC to print the logos of both PPM and PNC beside Muizzu’s name on the ballot paper.

“We engaged in a lot of effort to have the logo printed beside our candidate’s name,” said Mohamed Tholal, Muizzu’s spokesperson.

Tholal said that the EC had responded to letters sent by PPM and PNC saying it is unable to add PPM’s logo, due to legal constraints.

“But they did not specify the legal grounds by which they are unable to do so. They did not saw which article of the law under which they are unable permit for the logo the candidate wants,” he said.

“We believe that if there is no legal obstacle, then there’s no reason why candidates can’t have the logo they want beside their name in elections organized by the Elections Commission. There’s no reason it can’t be printed.”

The opposition coalition alleges that the commission had already begun printing ballot papers before it gave its response to the coalition’s request.

The coalition alleged that the government is influencing the EC, and urged the commission against bowing down to pressure.