Second Round of Presidential Election Sees 50,047 Reregistration Forms Delivered to EC”

Second Round of Presidential Election Sees 50,047 Reregistration Forms Delivered to EC”

Elections Commission Receives Over 50,000 Reregistration Forms

The Elections Commission of the Maldives has reported an influx of reregistration forms for the second round of the 2023 Presidential Election. The Vice President of the commission, Ismail Habeeb, disclosed that a total of 50,047 reregistration forms were submitted within the reregistration window, which spanned from 15 September 2023 to 17 September 2023. The forms were submitted through two primary channels; 26,011 forms were submitted online, while 24,036 forms were submitted directly to the commission’s offices.

Issues with Reregistration Forms Verification

The commission has identified a significant issue with the verification of a large number of these forms. According to Habeeb, 11,284 forms, including 5,109 online submissions and 6,175 office submissions, have not been verified due to various problems.

Challenges with Online Submissions

Online submissions presented a unique set of challenges to the commission. Habeeb highlighted several issues such as the inability to verify the person in the submitted photo, the submission of expired documents, and repeated submissions from both systems.

Problems with Office Submissions

Direct submissions to the commission’s offices also faced verification difficulties. The problems ranged from missing fingerprints and mismatched witness information to the lack of a contact telephone number, submission of expired documents, and duplicate applications from both systems.

The Implications of Reregistration Challenges

The primary takeaway from these challenges is that while a substantial number of reregistration forms for the second round of the 2023 Presidential Election in the Maldives have been submitted, the Elections Commission has been unable to verify a significant number of these due to various issues. The integrity of the reregistration process is crucial for ensuring a fair and transparent election. These challenges underscore the importance of adhering to the proper procedures when submitting registration forms.

Looking Forward: The Second Round of the 2023 Presidential Election

The reregistration difficulties and their implications present a complex landscape as the Maldives prepares for the second round of the 2023 Presidential Election. The process’s integrity and the election’s ultimate fairness hinge on how the Elections Commission addresses these challenges. The situation calls for the proper scrutiny of the registration process, strict adherence to the guidelines, and the deployment of necessary resources to ensure a smooth and fair election.