The Elections Commission says opposition parties PPM and PNC has been fined by an amount of MVR 75000 for failing to adhere to the guidelines set by the Health Protection Agency HPA to deter the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The commission said that the opposition coalition has failed to obey the guidelines set by HPA as per the Political Parties Act, Freedom of Peaceful Assembly Act, and the Public Health Protection Act on multiple occasions and would now face a fine of MVR 75000.
Authorities took action against the opposition coalition following its vehicle rally held in Male’ last Friday which attracted heavy criticism from their political rivals and members of the general public as well.
The authorities had also fined two top leaders of the opposition coalition today including PNC President Abdul Raheem Abdullah and Deputy President Ahmed Shiyam by an amount of MVR 1000.
The police have also summoned former President and special advisor to the opposition coalition Dr. Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik for his part at the rally where he was seen addressing the crowd without a mask.
He had said that the police summon was a political move on the government’s part and showed that President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih’s desperation.
Police had said before that many at the rally had disregarded the guidelines set by HPA and that it would further investigate the matter
