The Elections Commission of the Maldives (ECM) has announced that national digital identification (ID) cards cannot be used for voting in the upcoming presidential election. The electoral body also made the decision not to utilise digital ID cards accessible through the eFaas application for any aspect of the election.
ECM has stated that individuals must possess a valid official document confirming their Maldivian citizenship in order to participate in the presidential election. Acceptable documents include the ID card, unexpired passport, passport card, and driver's license. ECM stated that it is important that the original copy of one of these documents is available during the voting process, as polling stations will not acknowledge any other form of identification. Therefore, ECM urges voters to renew their ID cards if they have expired or are nearing expiration.
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 282,395, including over 27,000 new voters.
ECM stated that there are 574 polling stations for the presidential election, with 14 individuals slated to observe and monitor each station. More than 1,700 applications were received by ECM to be representatives at the polling stations.
The 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.