EC to fine parties submitting fake membership forms

The President of the Election Commission (EC) Fuad Thaufeeq on Tuesday stated that the authority intends to implement a fine for political parties submitting fake membership forms.

He noted that this step was intended as a measure to stop political parties from submitting fake forms to increase membership.

Speaking to Sun, Fuad said that if the commission receives complaints of too many such forms from a single party, a warning will be issued. After this, if the issue remains unchanged, then the party will be fined a set amount for every fake form submitted.

“We have thought to fine by MVR 5,000 per fake form, or by an amount the EC members can come to an agreement on,” said Fuad.

Additionally, he said that once they receive a form requesting to be registered to a political party, the individual's name and last three digits of the National ID card will be publicized on the EC website.

Furthermore, he said that if the person is listed with an undesired party, then they can notify the commission via email or a text message. Once they receive the complaint, the person will not be registered to that party, he added.

Fuad also said that to confirm if the induvial whose details are listed on the membership form did sign to join the party, they will be sending a text message to the number.

“So we will be sending a message asking [you] to inform us if there are any objections to this. If someone says the form was submitted without their knowledge, it will be cancelled and the party that sends in the form will also be informed of this.”

Moreover, he highlighted that some of the parties have already been questioned regarding this issue, to which they responded that those forms were sent in by supporters in the islands.

“We have already informed not to sign and submit to EC every form brought [to the party] by party member or a supporter.”