Candidates face prosecution for failure to disclose finances

The Elections Commission has warned that it will seek charges against 39 candidates who failed to submit campaign finances after the April 6 parliamentary elections.

Most of the 386 candidates, including the 87 MPs-elect, submitted the mandatory statements before Saturday’s deadline, EC member Ahmed Akram told the press.

The commission will forward cases to the Prosecutor General’s office on Thursday, he added.

The 39 people facing prosecution include 31 candidates who ran as independents, two candidates from the opposition Progressive Party of Maldives, two from the Maldives Third-Way Democrats, two from the Maldives Labour and Social Democratic Party and one each from the Adhaalath Party and People’s National Congress.

The electoral law requires the financial statement to be audited by a state-approved professional. Failure to adhere to requirements of the law constitutes a criminal offence punishable with a jail term of two years or a fine of up to MVR24,000 (US$1558).