Manadhoo Thoriq files complaint over fraudulent enrollment in PNC

Former Manadhoo MP Mohamed Thoriq (Manadhoo Thoriq) who has actively been on the frontlines of main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) since the party’s inception has filed a police complaint claiming he was fraudulently enrolled as a member of ruling People’s National Congress (PNC).

Thoriq shared a copy of the letter he had sent to Maldives Police Service, addressed to the Commissioner of Police, on X.

According to the letter, Thoriq first submitted the case to the Police on December 26^th, 2024, along with the PNC membership application form that he had obtained from the Elections Commission (EC) which was submitted to the Commission under his name.

Thoriq, who also served as the State Minister for Heritage during the last MDP administration, said the form submitted under his name did not contain his photo, fingerprint and signature. He also stressed that he does not know the witnesses listed in the form.

As such, he requested the Police to identify the individual in the photo attached to the falsified form, the individuals who had signed and affixed their fingerprint on the form under his name, and the individuals who had signed and affixed their fingerprints as witnesses on the form.

Notably, ruling PNC has previously announced plans to increase its membership to 100,000.

MDP has alleged that MDP members were being fraudulently enrolled in PNC – an allegation that has been denied the allegation.  

Speaking with Sun prior to this, PNC’s parliamentary group leader placed PNC’s current membership at over 82,000, However, EC’s registry shows that the party had 28,983 members as of September 19^th, 2024.

PNC has significantly increased its membership within the span of one year. When the current administration assumed office in November 2023, the party had a membership of a mere 3,000.

Enrollment of individuals to political parties using falsified forms had come to light a while ago. Subsequently, EC has implemented measures to implement this. In this regard, the general public can check whether they are enrolled in any political party via SMS.