The Election Commission of the Maldives (ECM) has announced that the parliamentary election will be held on March 17, during the month of Ramadan.
In a press statement, ECM stated that it decided to hold the parliamentary election on March 17 as the election coincides with the month of Ramadan and there would be administrative challenges if the election was held after Ramadan. The electoral body highlighted the challenges in choosing available locations for polling stations, stating that according to the revised academic calendar, the examinations are scheduled for the week after the Eid holidays, which will make it difficult to set up polling stations at the schools.
Additionally, ECM stated that the last 10 days of Ramadan has been declared as public holidays, which will cause challenges in coordinating with government ministries and state agencies. ECM also expressed commitment to addressing challenges in conducting the parliamentary election as per the scheduled date, aiming to enhance voter convenience. It underscored the importance of increasing voter turnout.
ECM earlier requested the Parliamentary Committee on Independent Institutions to expedite the election as it coincides with the month of Ramadan. However, the committee recommended that the election be held on the earliest possible date after Ramadan as the law provides a 30-day period after the fasting month to hold the election. Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) also requested ECM to hold the parliamentary election after Ramadan in a recent meeting.
During the parliamentary election, candidates will be elected to represent 93 constituencies in the 20th Parliament. This is an increase of six seats compared to the current 87-seat Parliament.