President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom has questioned the process through which the printing of ballot papers was contracted. The concerns were raised in the case filed by the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) at the Supreme Court of Maldives, asking to nullify the presidential election.
In a document being circulated in social media, which purports to detail the issues raised in the lawsuit, the presidential candidate of the ruling party alleges the manner in which the printing of ballot papers was contracted and the manner in which the ballot papers were stored, facilitated specific parties to conduct election fraud. It said several issues have surfaced since the election, which supports these suspicions. In the document, the process through which a contractor was assigned was also questioned, citing that Novelty Printers and Publishers had the experience and technology required for such a task.
The Supreme Court has requested the Election Commission of Maldives for a written explanation for the allegations and has scheduled a hearing for Sunday.