Elections Commissioner reveals voting procedure

KD Ahmed Manik Commissioner of Elections has revealed pertinent details of the voting process of the forthcoming presidential elections. According to a release issued by the Commissioner voting process would be the same as in previous years where eligible voters are required to tick against the candidate of their choice and placing the ballot paper in the designated box. Commissioner also revealed that electronic voting system would not be used during this election. Commissioner speaking to Miadhu Daily earlier said that in contrast to previous elections, eligible voters list will be produced by the Office of the Commissioner.

In previous years the list was produced by the Department of National Registration. Commissioner says that this year the list will be produced by the help of the data base established at the Commissioner’s Office with the help of listings received from the atolls. The Commissioner also revealed that the listings would soon made public in order to find out any discrepancies. Commissioner has accepted the fact that certain discrepancies did exist in the eligible voters list used by the Commissioner Office during the public referendum on system of government held in 2007.

In this regard the opposition parties criticized the government for irregularities such as deceased person’s names and repetitive names in the list. During the recent State Visit of President Gayoom to India, in an interview granted to Miadhu Daily, President had indicated that electronic voting system was a system that needs to be introduced to the Maldives. He said that in order for the general public to gain confidence in the system and to be more aware and get familiarize with such a system it would take some time. He said that in order to try the system out he intends to employ the system in small elections. Government last year reaffirmed its commitment to multiparty, free and fair elections. In this regard government has said that work to establish the necessary independent institutions and commissions to ensure such an election were being carried out.