Elections Commission of the Maldives (ECM) has revealed over 150 candidates who applied to contest in the Local Council Elections (LCE) and Women’s Development Committee Elections (WDCE) have withdrawn their names from contention.
ECM stated a total of 4,252 candidates had applied to contest in the joint elections, including 2,435 LCE candidates and 1,817 WDCE candidates. ECM revealed 95 LCE candidates have withdrawn their names, including 34 candidates from the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), 16 candidates from the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), 8 candidates from Jumhooree Party (JP) and 36 independent candidates. Meanwhile, 58 WDCE candidates have also withdrawn from the election, including 36 MDP candidates, 3 PPM candidates and 19 independent candidates.
Due to the large number of candidates withdrawing from the election, an appeal has been lodged at the High Court of the Maldives by a private party requesting an additional window to submit candidacy. The appeal includes a request to revoke the Clause in the Special Act on Local Council Elections which states the candidates contesting in the delayed elections will be the candidates who were announced in the candidates’ list published by ECM on March 6, 2020.
The LCE and WDCE elections were initially scheduled to be held on April 4, 2020. However, following the declaration of the State of Health Emergency in the Maldives on March 12 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the elections had to be postponed.
The Special Act on Local Council Elections was ratified by President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih in May 2020, allowing the elections to be postponed. The Act states the elections can only be held after health authorities lift the State of Health Emergency and guarantee there is no risk in conducting the elections.
The parliament is currently working on an amendment to the Special Act on Local Council Elections to allow the elections to be held even if the State of Health Emergency is not lifted. The amendment was proposed by the government to allow the elections to be held as soon as possible.