Date for Majlis polls to be announced this week after discussions over MDP’s letter

The Elections Commission (EC) will be announcing a date for the parliamentary polls for 2024 this week, after discussions regarding a letter forwarded by the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) are held.

This was revealed by the Vice President of the commission, Ismail Habeeb during a press conference hosted on Sunday.

Speaking at the presser, Habeeb stated that the commission has held several rounds of discussions regarding allocating a date for the parliamentary polls, and that the commission has also been seeking the views and thoughts of political parties on the matter.

Although it was earlier revealed that the date for the parliamentary polls for 2024 would be announced on Sunday, it has been postponed after the commission received a letter from the former ruling party, on Thursday.

Habeeb revealed that they would announce the best way forward, after thorough discussions are held with the party regarding the matter.

He noted that the commission would look into a number of factors when deciding the date for the Majlis elections, including considering what would be most convenient for the people as well as the candidates.

Further, he stated that the commission would look into the challenges that could face the commission while conducting the elections and the situation under which the best arrangement can be made.

Stressing that the voter turnout for the Majlis polls is expected to be lower than the 2023 presidential election, Habeeb said that the voter turnout in the local council elections is also low.

With this, he stressed that it was possible that the voter turnout would be low if the elections were to coincide with the fasting month of Ramadan.

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.

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.