Former President Abdulla Yameen has filed a lawsuit against the Elections Commission (EC) over the use of eFaas to fill out support forms for independent candidates for the upcoming local council elections.

Speaking at a People's National Front (PNF) gathering on Sunday (January 25), Yameen said the EC cannot stop accepting physical documents and pointed out the importance of documentary evidence in trials.

The EC does not have the legal authority to conduct the affairs of candidates using eFaas alone, he said.

“We have taken these issues to court. We have challenged these matters and we have gone to court. We will do that work," Yameen said.

The former President also said there is no judicial independence in the Maldives and that it is likely the case would not be conducted.

Former Home Minister Umar Naseer has also expressed concern over the use of eFaas alone to fill out support forms.

In a letter to the EC President Mohamed Zahid yesterday (January 26), Umar said it was unacceptable that the 50 endorsement signatures required to be obtained by independent candidates should be “verified” by each signatory through eFaas.