Voter list published

The Elections Commission made public Sunday night a list of more than 263,000 eligible voters for September’s presidential poll.

The list was published on the EC website and government gazette, with a deadline of June 20 to lodge complaints. It was compiled with information from the Department of National Registration.

The election is due to take place on September 23 amid fierce criticism of the commission’s independence and uncertainty over opposition candidates.

Adam Shareef, the president of the five-member commission, is a loyalist of President Abdulla Yameen who was involved in his re-election campaign prior to his appointment.

With opposition leaders barred from contesting, most Maldivians do not believe there will be a free and fair election this year.

Following last week’s announcement of the poll date, former president Mohamed Nasheed accused the EC of delaying invitations to foreign election observers.

Opposition parties maintain that the commission must be reconstituted to pave the way for free and fair elections. But Shareef has declared that this year’s ballot would be the most transparent ever.

The voter’s list can be checked through a text message to 1414 with VR followed by the national identity card number.

Some 255,987 people were eligible to vote in last year’s local council elections. Names missing from voter lists was among concerns raised over the voting process.