The Elections Commission of Maldives (EC) has revealed that they are working to announce a date for the parliamentary polls for 2024, next week.

Speaking to RaajjeMV, Vice President of the commission Ismail Habeeb revealed that at a meeting of the EC held earlier, it was decided that the date for the parliamentary polls would be announced on Sunday, January 7.

The commission has held discussions with senior officials from the Department of Judicial Administration and the Maldives Inland Revenue Authority (MIRA), to clarify the crime and debt records of candidates as well as their agents in the 2024 parliamentary polls, with convenience, trust, and efficiency.

EC has sought from the People’s Majlis Independent Institutions Committee to decide that a date for the parliamentary elections can be allocated by the commission.

The president of the commission has stated that issues would surface if the parliamentary elections were delayed, and that this was the reason a date has not been fixed yet.

The Parliament’s Committee on Independent Institutions had approved a proposal to EC to hold the elections after the fasting month of Ramadan, on 26 November 2023.

Habeeb revealed that an assessment has been done on whether the elections should be held before or after the fasting month, and that discussions have been held regarding related issues.

EC’s Vice President went on to reveal that a date for the parliamentary polls will be announced on Sunday.

Earlier, Habeeb had highlighted that it is very likely the elections will coincide with the fasting month of Ramadan.

According to the People’s Majlis, the new parliament which begins in 2024 will have 93 seats. These include two constituencies added to Malé City. From 2024, the capital city will have a total of 17 seats.

One seat each has been added to Baa atoll, Kaafu atoll, Gaaf Alif Atoll and Seenu Atoll as well.

The six seats added for 2024 are Central Hulhumalé constituency, North Hulhumalé constituency, Hithaadhoo constituency (Baa atoll) Hithaadhoo, Maalhos and Dharavandhoo, Huraa constituency (Kaafu atoll) Huraa, Himmafushi and Gulhi, Kolamaafushi constituency (Gaaf Alif atoll) Kolamaafushi and Dhevvadhoo and North Feydhoo constituency (Seenu atoll) Feydhoo and Maradhoo-Feydhoo.

The Elections Commission of Maldives has announced that Eydhafushi, Villingili and Meedhoo constituencies will have only the one island belonging to the constituency, with these changes.

The report also notes that the names of some constituencies have been changed.

As such, Hulhumalé constituency will be known as South Hulhumalé constituency, Guraidhoo constituency will be known as Maafushi constituency, Thaa. Guraidhoo constituency will be known as Guraidhoo constituency and Feydhoo constituency will be known as South Feydhoo constituency.

The elections for the ongoing 19th tenure of Parliament were held on 6 April 2019.

264,442 were eligible to cast their votes in the elections.