The functioning of the Elections Commission (EC) has hit a roadblock as two of its members have declined to participate in scheduled meetings, citing a loss of trust in Chairman Fuad Thaufeeq. The absence of these members has resulted in a lack of quorum, causing a standstill within the commission.
The current impasse comes at a critical time, as the commission was set to convene today to approve the formation of The Democrats, a political party led by a group of supporters of former President and speaker Mohamed Nasheed. However, the approval process was previously stalled when two members of the commission refused to endorse the party, according to commission chairman.
The two members who refused to attend the forthcoming meeting are Ali Nashaath and Mohamed Asif. The Democrats have accused them of working to obstruct their registration.
In response to these allegations, Nashaath, who is a member of the commission, said that he made no efforts to impede The Democrats’ registration. However, Nashaath expressed his discontent with Chairman Fuad Thaufeeq’s remarks claiming that he had been defamed and subjected to harassment due to his comments. He further stated that he lacks confidence in the chairman, as Thaufeeq discredited a decision made during a commission meeting, which is in violation of EC rules.
Consequently, Nashaath has declared his refusal to attend any future sessions chaired by Fuwad Thaufeeq. “I will no longer attend a meeting chaired by Fuwad Thaufeeq. I have no confidence in the Commission chairman,” Nashaath stated.
While Mohamed Asif is reported to have taken a similar stance, he has not provided any official comments at the time of publishing. Despite repeated attempts, Chairman Fuwad Thaufeeq could not be reached for comment regarding the matter.
