PPM: 391 fake form claim an attempt to steal 2023 elections

Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) said on Thursday that the assertion by Elections Commission (EC) that the party submitted 391 fake membership forms was an attempt to please the government and those aligned with the government in order to steal the 2023 presidential elections. 

EC had released statistics of the complaints it had received from 2018 onwards over fake forms. 

In a statement on Thursday evening, PPM said it condemned the attempt by the claims by EC with the government’s direct influence to slander the party. 

PPM said it had complained to EC that over 5,000 of its members were stolen from the party and registered to other parties since October 2021. 

The party said it was concerned over the attempts to hinder efforts by the opposition coalition to seek justice over the issue, and divert discourse. 

PPM questioned the basis of EC’s assertation that the party submitted 391 fake forms, and whether the commission had conducted a criminal investigation or verified fingerprints before publicizing the statistics. 

PPM said it called on the commission to reveal the information to the Maldivian people. 

The party said it had been PPM itself which brought the issue of fake forms to the commission’s attention. 

“This coalition believes that the personal attack and attempt to defame this party was done at the government’s instructions to mislead the people regarding the truth of the matter,” said PPM. 

PPM said it wanted a criminal investigation into the theft of its members, and for them to me re-registered with the party with them having to fill any additional forms.