Maldives' electoral watchdog on Tuesday asked all political parties to share any complaints they may have over the voters list for the upcoming presidential elections.
The decision was taken a day after the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) had met the Elections Commission and requested the commission to allow parties to submit complaints on behalf of party members.
As the 10 day window given by the commission expires on Wednesday, the commission said it had received just 34 complaints thus far.
MDP had voiced concerns over the short window and urged the commission to allow parties to submit complaints on behalf of the parties.
"MDP met with us and shared their concerns. Their main concern was the short window to submit complaints. And the fact that there's no easy way for political parties to submit complaints. And also the lack of ID card numbers on the list was another complaint," commission member and spokesperson Ahmed Akram told AVAS.
MDP had said the exclusion of national identity card numbers on the list was making it difficult for people to verify their details.
However, Akram insisted that the commission was unable to extend the deadline for complaints over the voters list due to legally mandated time constraints.
Key dates for presidential polls
- June 10: Publicize voters list
- July 10: Close voters list for complaints
- July 15-24: Open the elections for interested candidates
- July 17: Open for re-registration
- August 9: Decide candidate number
- September 23: Voting day
The commission meanwhile had announced that the crunch elections would be held on September 23 while it would open the elections for interested candidates from July 15.
Incumbent president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom is seeking re-election amid unprecedented political strife in the archipelago.
Former home minister Umar Naseer has also announced his intention to stand for the elections and already launched his campaign as an independent candidate.
The main opposition leaders including former presidents Maumoon Abdul Gayoom and Mohamed Nasheed along with Jumhoory Party (JP) leader Gasim Ibrahim and religiously conservative Adhaalath Party (AP) leader Sheikh Imran Abdulla inked pact to form what they called a 'reform alliance'.
With the candidacy of the four leaders - all convicted and serving sentences on questionable charges in serious doubt, the united opposition had announced plans to nominate a single candidate for the upcoming presidential elections.
However, the coalition now seems to have fractured with Nasheed contesting and winning the highly disputed presidential primary held by his party last week.
Elections Commission had said it would not accept the result insisting that Nasheed remains a convicted criminal who is constitutionally ineligible to contest.
Nasheed however, remains hopeful that the government would yield to international pressure and allow him to stand for the elections which now appears to have created massive divisions within his own party.
The commission itself has been dogged by both local and international censure as it fends off allegations of bias against the opposition.
