2024 Parliamentary Election slated for 17 March, 7 Ramadan

The 2024 Parliamentary election has been slated for 17 March 2024.

This was disclosed by the Elections Commission (EC), on 10 January 2024.

Noting that the this year's Parliamentary Election falls during the month of Ramadan, the commission stated that holding the election during a later date of the month would lead to administrative decisions. Hence the commission slated the election for 14 March, which is also the 7th of Ramadan 1445.

Additionally, the Elections Commission noted that it will be challenging to persuade the schools to set up the polling stations, given that the week following the Fitr Eid holidays will be exam week, per the updated academic calendar issued by the Ministry of Education. The EC stated that as a result, the commission won't have enough locations to set up polling stations for the election.

Earlier, the Vice President of the commission, Ismail Habeeb had 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 07 January, the announcement was postponed after the commission received a letter from the former ruling party, on 04 January.

Habeeb had noted that the commission would look into a number of factors when deciding the date for the Parliamentary Election, including considering what would be most convenient for the people as well as the candidates.

He has stated that the commission would look into the challenges it would face while conducting the elections and the situation under which the best arrangement can be made.

Stressing that the voter turnout for the 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 why it took a long period for a date for the election to be fixed.

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 Parliamentary Election ought to take place thirty days prior to the expiry of the current parliamentary term.

The Maldivian constitution states that April 28 is the deadline for all matters pertaining to the Parliamentary Election.