Civil lawsuit against Thasmeen and KD delayed

19 October 2007
Report: Soodh

Hearing of the civil lawsuit filed against Atolls Minister Ahmed Thasmeen Ali and K.D Ahmed Maniku by Maldivian Democratic Party, MDP, has been delayed. The civil Lawsuit filed against them is with regard to voting irregularities in the recent public referendum on system of government. MDP was informed of the delay on last Wednesday said MDP.

The case raised against Ahmed Thasmeen is to prove to the court that Thasmeen violated the regulations governing the referendum by inappropriately influencing the referendum.

DP alleges that he did this by increasing the salaries of island chiefs at the last minute.

The case against Commissioner of Elections K.D Ahmed Manik is prove to court that K.D Ahmed Maniku facilitated ways for irregularities to occur by providing list of eligible voters differently in 3 separate occasions and because he has included the names of deceased people in the list. The court case against the Commissioner was cancelled due the fact that he could not represented in court says MDP.

Maldivian Democratic Party, MDP, has said that the results of the recent referendum on system of government cannot be considered final and valid as the Commissioner of Elections is not sure as to what happened to 144,580 vote ballots.

According to an MDP press release, Commissioner of Elections, K.D. Ahmed Maniku in a letter to Qasim Ibrahim, President of Special Majlis, has said that out of 305,000 ballots printed, only 2265 ballots remain in stock at the Commissioners Office. According to that press release, Commissioner is unaware as to what happened to the remaining 144,580 ballots that has been unaccounted. The press release further said , according to Commissioner, what happened to 144,580 ballots can only be known after opening the ballot boxes which will be done after the law suites filed in civil court with regard to voting irregularities are over.

MDP previously had called on the Special Majlis to account each and every ballot paper that has been printed.

MDP notes that the Special Majlis has not sufficiently investigated the irregularities stated in the 11 Member Committee’s Report submitted to the Majlis on the 1 October. The party says the Special Majlis should fully investigate and account each and every ballot paper printed.