Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (HRCM) has highlighted the importance of upholding the same standard of conduct at all polling stations.
At a press conference, President of HRCM Mariyam Muna noted that the presidential election on September 9 saw the highest number of invalid ballots. She said that officials began work at the polling stations between 0630hrs to 0730hrs and that 63% of polling stations opened on time. She also said that polling stations had a special area for observers, monitors, and candidate representatives.
Additionally, Muna noted that 38% of polling stations did not have adequate accessibility for people with disabilities and 18 polling stations did not have adequate space, which resulted in the secrecy of the vote being undermined as individuals had clear view of the voting booths. She, however, added that the presidential election was conducted well and advised Elections Commission of the Maldives (ECM) to address these issues for the second round.
Also at the press conference, Commissioner Aminath Shifaath Abdul Razzaq noted that the low turnout indicated a lack of enthusiasm for this year's election. As such, she highlighted the importance of increasing public awareness on the voting process, especially for newly eligible voters.