The relevant agencies have started working together on preparing new rules for the auditing and disclosure of a candidate's finances ahead of the September 9 presidential election.
An Auditor General's Office media official told Adhadhu that the office was leading the effort with the participation of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), Elections Commission (EC) and the Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA).
The audit office has formulated and shared a draft of the new regulations with the ACC and EC. Discussions about the draft are ongoing among the three institutions, the official said.
"The financial statement has to be submitted within 21 days after the election. Our four institutions are working together to complete formulating the rules and publish it before the presidential election and to implement it," the official said.
The financial statement of both candidates who contested in the 2018 election - President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and former President Abdulla Yameen - was incomplete.
The general election law requires the inclusion of a bank statement showing all the transactions from the bank account opened for a candidate's campaign along with receipts, invoices and copies of bills to prove legitimate expenses.
EC President Fuwad Thowfeek also believes that Yameen and Solih's financial statements were incomplete. The problem was also noted in the parliamentary elections, council elections and some parliamentary by-elections.
Fuwad said the financial statements of many candidates in the 2009 and 2014 parliamentary elections were also incomplete.
In some cases, charges were sought from the Prosecutor General's Office (PGO). But the PG decided there were no grounds for prosecution and sent back all the cases.
The EC decided to impose a fine of MVR 6000 each on all three candidates who contested in the recent Guraidhoo constituency parliamentary by-election because their financial statements were incomplete.
