High Court Yet to Decide on eFaas Requirement Challenge Ahead of Local Elections

The High Court has not yet determined whether it will accept a constitutional challenge to the mandatory use of eFaas for filing candidacies and collecting supporter signatures for independent candidates in the upcoming local council and Women’s Development Committee (WDC) elections.

The case was filed last week by the People’s National Front (PNF), but the deadline for submitting nominations for the April 4 elections passed at 17:30 on Sunday without any response from the court.

Former Technology Minister Mohamed Maleeh Jamal stated that the High Court had not issued any communication regarding the case by the time nominations closed. He argued that the delay conflicts with judicial standards and constitutional principles, noting that the court has not yet decided whether to admit the case.

Former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom also voiced concerns during a PNF rally. He criticised the Election Commission of Maldives (ECM) for requiring eFaas authentication for election procedures while courts continue to rely on paper-based processes. Yameen noted that he had filed a case regarding the use of eFaas and suggested the matter could have been resolved if the court had acted before the nomination period ended.

Former Home Minister Umar Naseer has similarly raised objections to the mandatory use of eFaas. In a letter to EC Chairman Mohamed Zahid, he highlighted that independent candidates are required to collect 50 signatures, with each supporter verifying their backing through eFaas. Umar pointed out that only around 10 per cent of Maldivians are familiar with using the platform and called on the EC to repeal the requirement.

The High Court has not provided any indication of when it will decide on the admissibility of the case.