PNC: Invalid forms submitted as party lacks capacity verify forms

Ruling People’s National Congress (PNC), on Tuesday, said the party, although a few, have observed invalid membership forms among thousands which the party recently submitted to the Elections Commission (EC) as part of a ‘membership drive’ to increase the party’s membership.

The ruling party released a statement on Tuesday following mounting allegations that individuals have been enrolled in PNC fraudulently using fake forms.

In this regard, the statement read that PNC's recent membership drive resulted in the highest number of membership forms submitted for enrollment in a political party in the Maldives to date.

The party, noting its administrative staff was tirelessly working to upload forms via EC’s portal, stresses that the party lacked the capacity to verify the validity of the forms received. As such, the party underscored that the validity of a form is only questioned once submitted to EC.

PNC described this as an obstruction that not only the party faces, but rather, all political parties continue to face since the inception of the multi-party system in the Maldives due to lack of available resources.

The ruling party noted that they have been notified of investigations by both the Election Commission and the Maldives Police Service following complaints about fake forms. The party also said it was conducting its own investigation into how invalid forms had been submitted.

“We assure the public that the Congress Party will render full cooperation to both authorities in their investigation,” the statement read.

PNC emphasized that acts that infringe the rights of people such as using fake forms to increase the number of party members are not acceptable to the party’s leadership, nor encouraged by them.

Citing it was the party’s responsibility as an accountable political party to swiftly resolve the issue at hand and uphold the rights of party members and the public, PNC requested individuals who have faced enrolled to the party with fake forms to email them.

“The party provides full assurance to all Maldivian citizens that it will undertake all efforts possible to provide a swift remedy to such issues,” added PNC.

Main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) alleged many members of the party were being fraudulently enrolled in PNC – an allegation that has been denied by the ruling party. A case in this trajectory came to light yesterday itself, involving the fraudulent enrollment of opposition MDP’s Vaikaradhoo MP Hussain Ziyadh (Fittey). 

According to Fittey, he was enrolled in the ruling party without his knowledge and only became aware of the matter through another individual. Subsequently, he had raised concern over the possibility of losing his parliamentary seat, with anti-defection laws to prevent floor crossing. EC has assured Fittey will not lose his seat, adding he has been shifted back to MDP’s register. The Commission also said it would penalize those implicated in the case.