The ruling People’s National Congress (PNC) is under growing criticism over allegations of mass party membership fraud, with numerous individuals accusing the party of enrolling them without their consent through forged documents.
Social media platforms have been flooded with complaints from citizens claiming they were unknowingly registered as PNC members. Disturbingly, some of these membership forms reportedly include altered photographs and fake fingerprints, raising serious questions about the integrity of the process. Adding to the controversy, PNC Members of Parliament (MPs) are alleged to have signed these forms as witnesses.
Alhugandu ge bappa mi form ga soe kuri gotheh kiyaa dheyn jehey @pnc_secretariat vagah mikhala kan kan mi kazzabu ge party kuran ladhe haytheh neii kan mi engeny?? @IbrahimShujaau aharen bappa raavaigen mikan kuraan jeheyne sababe nueh visney @PoliceMv @HKurusee @DhiyavaruNews pic.twitter.com/tY779GgkBg
— Ahmed Shamil (@Shamil1Ahmed) January 13, 2025
Former MP Saud Hussain took to social media platform X to expose one such form, showing Villimalé MP Mohamed Ismail’s signature as a witness to a questionable application. Meanwhile, Vaikaradhoo MP Hussain Ziyadh, representing the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), revealed that he too was fraudulently enrolled in the PNC without his knowledge.
Villingili MDP ge dhaftharu list ga himenifaivā Asif Ahmed ge zāthee mauloomaath beynun koggen PNC in vakkan koffa mivany majlis membereh hekikoh! PNC in mi form verify koffa stamp jahāfa @ElectionsMv ah fonuvāfa vany. Mi massala balai dhinumah edhi @PoliceMv ah file kureveyne! pic.twitter.com/qBspwQKafU
— Saud Hussain (@SaudVillingili) January 12, 2025
MP Ziyadh, also known as Fittey, expressed disbelief that even lawmakers were not spared from such fraudulent activities. He highlighted that multiple residents from his constituency in Vaikaradhoo were also mass-enrolled in the PNC on the same date. Alarmingly, many of these individuals were active MDP members during the recent presidential campaign.
“A lot of Vaikaradhoo people have been mass-enrolled. I’m working to gather the details of all these individuals. Most of them were active in MDP’s campaign back then,” Fittey said.
Fittey also raised concerns about the implications for parliamentarians under the new anti-defection law. The law, passed on November 20, 2024, stipulates that MPs will lose their seats if they switch parties, are expelled, or resign from the party they represented during the election.
From @HKurusee
“This poor man has dementia. They put him also to PNC. But he can’t even talk properly. This proves PNC has no limit. PNC is a criminal organisation. Sharing this with permission from family”@AndrewAdhurey @Shiyamaldives @ElectionsMv @waddey_ @MDPSecretariat pic.twitter.com/LPBkaNIMi4
— Notes by Hassan Kurusee (@NotesHKurusee) January 13, 2025
Former Manadhoo MP Mohamed Thoriq, an MDP veteran, has also filed a police complaint after discovering he was fraudulently registered as a PNC member. Thoriq’s case is one of many, with the MDP accusing the ruling party of systematically targeting its members for fraudulent enrollment.
ކަނޑައެޅިގެން އަޅުގަނޑުގެ ފޮޓޯ ނޫންކަން އެނގޭވަރު ތަފާތު އެހެން މީހެއްގެ ފޮޓޯ ޖަހާފައި، ކިރިޔާ ބަލާލިޔަސް އަޅުގަނޑުގެ ސޮއި ނޫންކަން އެނގޭވަރު ތަފާތު ސޮޔެއް ކޮށްފައި، އަޅުގަނޑުގެ މަންމަގެ މައުލޫމާތުވެސް ގޯސްކޮށް ލިޔެފައި، ކޮންމެވެސް މީހެއްގެ ފިންގަރ ޕްރިންޓު ޖަހާފައި އަޅުގަނޑުގެ… pic.twitter.com/YUfrn5ZRs8
— Mohamed Thoriq (@ManadhooThoriq) January 5, 2025
The PNC has denied these allegations, but the timing of the scandal coincides with major internal shifts within the party. State Minister for Defense Muaz Haleem was recently appointed as the PNC’s Secretary General, replacing Zeenath Adnan. The leadership change has done little to quell the outrage, with critics questioning the party’s credibility amidst the growing scandal.
The fraudulent enrollment controversy has triggered alarm among the public and political opposition. Critics argue that such actions undermine the democratic process and cast doubt on the fairness of the political system.
As complaints continue to pile up, the spotlight remains on the Elections Commission and law enforcement to investigate these allegations thoroughly. Many are calling for immediate action to restore trust in the country’s electoral integrity.
