The Elections Commission has fined the Adhaalath Party MVR 25,000 after an audit found that the party had not kept proper records of its expenditure.
The penalty relates to the party's 2024 audit report, submitted in early October. The auditor noted that full details of all spending had not been maintained. Article 41 of the Political Parties Act requires every party to keep a detailed record of everything it spends.
The audit also flagged that supporting documents for some asset values listed in 2024 had not been submitted, so those figures could not be verified.
Political parties must submit their financial and annual reports to the Elections Commission within the first three months of each year. If Adhaalath does not pay the fine on time, the commission can take the case to court. The amount can also be deducted from the party's share of state funding allocated to political parties.
In July, Adhaalath was fined MVR 50,000 for failing to submit financial statements. The Maldivian Democratic Party and another party faced similar penalties at that time.
The latest fine underscores the Elections Commission's ongoing monitoring of party financial compliance. Adhaalath currently has a membership of around 6,000.
No public response from the party to the latest fine has been widely reported. The case follows a pattern of enforcement actions against several parties over reporting and record-keeping requirements.
