Election ‘marred’ by arbitrary extension of voting hours
Administrative processes during Saturday’s local council election was “marred by the questionable decision by the Elections Commission to arbitrarily extend the voting time,” Transparency Maldives has said after observing the voting process.
07 May 2017, 9:00 AM
Administrative processes during Saturday’s local council election were “marred by the questionable decision by the Elections Commission to arbitrarily extend the voting time,” Transparency Maldives has said after observing the voting process.
In a press release sharing its preliminary findings, the local chapter of Transparency International urged the electoral body “to undertake serious confidence building measures to strengthen the electoral process.”
The opposition alliance also cried foul Saturday evening when the commission decided to extend voting hours to 8 pm in polling stations that opened late. Voting hours were also extended to 6 pm for polling stations that opened on time at 8 am.
Hassan Latheef, chairman of the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party, called the decision an “unlawful” attempt to influence the outcome.
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