Ruling Party Acknowledge Invalid Forms in Membership Drive

The ruling People’s National Congress (PNC) has admitted that some invalid forms were submitted during its membership drive last year and has vowed to investigate and address the matter.

In a statement released today, the PNC acknowledged that “while only a few, some invalid forms” were included among the thousands submitted to the Elections Commission during its nationwide membership drive, which was conducted by activists and supporters.

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ނޫސްބަޔާން. pic.twitter.com/FZxivzHpFB— PNC Secretariat (@pnc_secretariat) January 14, 2025

The PNC described the membership drive as one of the largest political activities of its kind, noting that it saw a record number of forms submitted in a single initiative. The party stated that its administrative staff worked tirelessly to upload the forms through its elections portal. However, due to resource constraints, it was unable to verify the forms prior to submission. Concerns about the validity of some forms only came to light after they were forwarded to the Elections Commission, the PNC added.

“This is a challenge faced not only by this party but by all parties, given the resources available since the introduction of a multi-party system,” the statement noted.

The Elections Commission and the Maldives Police Service have launched separate investigations into reports of invalid forms submitted in the party’s name. The PNC assured the public that it is conducting its own internal inquiry and will fully cooperate with the authorities. 

“The party’s president and leadership do not tolerate or condone the use of invalid forms to increase membership numbers or in any manner infringe on individuals’ political rights,” the statement added.

The PNC has urged anyone affected by issues relating to their enrolment to contact the party via email at info@pnc.mv, promising to resolve all reported concerns promptly.

Concerns over membership validity have been raised by the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), whose members claim that several individuals have been switched to the ruling party without their consent. Opposition members protested at the Elections Commission office in Malé earlier this week after MP Hussain Ziyad alleged that his membership had also been switched without his knowledge.

The Elections Commission has confirmed that it is investigating reports of invalid forms. A commission member told local media that the validity of all forms will be verified before disbursing state funds allocated to political parties. Under the current system, funds from the annual state budget are distributed based on each party’s registered membership numbers.

The PNC had carried out an extensive membership drive last year, with efforts ramping up significantly towards the end of the year.