Govt Should Refrain From Unbudgeted Projects Targeted At Elections: Elections Commission

The Elections Commission has called for the government to refrain from carrying out projects that have neither been included in the State Budget nor manifesto aimed at the upcoming Komandoo bi-elections. The Komandoo bi-elections will take place on 5 February.

During a meeting held between the Elections Commission and the political parties: Ismail Habeeb, the Vice President of the Elections Commission, had stated that the Commission did not want the government to initiate projects that it had neither budgeted for no promised in any manifesto so close to the bi-election. He said that he urged this as it may have "undue influence" over the outcome of the elections.

He said that the candidates for the seat may make their promises, and that the EC would not stop them from doing so. However, he said that the EC would not accept the government's decision to carry out projects that had not been included in the State Budget. The State Budget had been approved by Majlis very recently.

The projects to which Habeeb had referred were likely the government's initiative this week to reclaim and connect the two islands of Komandoo and Mathi-Komandoo, and the project to distribute plots of land to the residents of Komandoo.

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih had announced these projects last week while speaking at the ceremony to kick-off the MDP's candidate's campaign for the Komandoo seat.

President Solih had said that the project was absolutely necessary, and that carrying it out was a pledge that had been made by this government.

The MDP had chosen Mohamed Rasheed as its candidate to represent Komandoo in the Majlis.