The Elections Commission of the Maldives (ECM) has urged candidates of elections to clear their records at the earliest conveniance. The commission made the request during the first meeting between the national advisory committee on elections and relevant authorities.
During the meeting, Vice President of ECM Ismail Habeeb emphasised that the responsibility of clearing the records of election candidates is not solely on the Department of Judicial Administration (DJA). He noted that all courts in the Maldives are now required to clear the records of those seeking candidacy. He highlighted that clearing records takes time and that ECM urges political parties to begin clearing the records of their candidates at the earliest conveniance in order to streamline the process, given the increasing number of candidates participating in elections.
Additionally, Habeeb pointed out that clearing debt records poses a significant challenge in the record-clearing process. He stressed the importance of ensuring that candidates with outstanding debt settle them in line with court judgments before submitting their candidacy forms. He highlighted instances in which candidates had their forms cancelled in the past due to debt-related issues, emphasising the need for political parties to be vigilant about the matter.
Furthermore, Habeeb said a meeting was held with the Maldives Inland Revenue Authority (MIRA) to clear debt records. He indicated collaborative efforts between ECM and MIRA to ensure candidates adhere to regular tax payments, further underscoring the commitment to maintaining financial integrity in the electoral process.