The Elections Commission of the Maldives (ECM) has received 8,152 applications for observers and monitors for the upcoming presidential election scheduled for September.
Vice President of ECM Ismail Habeeb said that the application process has received a positive response. As such, he said local media outlets submitted 4,545 applications for monitors, while 3,607 applications for observers from political candidates, parties, associations, and independent individuals. In total, he said ECM has accumulated 8,152 applications in the Maldives.
Additionally, Habeeb said that ECM is actively engaged in verifying and accrediting the submitted applications. He highlighted that there are 574 polling stations for the presidential election, with 14 individuals slated to observe and monitor each station. He also said that this notable participation motivates the electoral body to ensure a lawful and well-regulated conduct of the election.
Furthermore, Habeeb conveyed that the upcoming presidential election is on track to become the most extensively monitored and observed electoral event, encompassing participants from both within the Maldives and internationally. He also noted the participation of more than 150 foreign officials taking part as observers in the election.
The presidential election is scheduled to be held on September 9 and a possible second round will be held on September 30. The eligible voting population for the presidential election is 282,672 voters.
The upcoming presidential election marks a significant milestone as it witnesses the largest number of candidates vying for the presidency since the inception of the multi-party system. As such, eight candidates are contesting the presidential election, including five candidates from parties and three independent candidates.