Changes have been brought to the time polling booths for the fast-approaching parliamentary elections 2024, will close.

The Elections Commission of Maldives (EC) revealed that they have decided to add one hour and 30 minutes to the time initially set to close polling booths.

The decision was taken in light of the unpredictable weather conditions these days, as the commission believes that the number of people attending polling stations to cast their ballots might dwindle due to excessive heat, or rain showers.

The commission has decided against making any further changes to voting timings, as the voting hours have already been extended due to these reasons.

Usually during previous elections, polling began at 8am and the queues would usually close at 4pm.

The process of counting votes would begin at 4:30pm and provisional results would begin rolling in not long after, at election centers.

Member of EC Hassan Zakariyya told RaajjeMV that the changes were brought and the time was extended after the national advisory committee convened for a meeting, at the commission and unanimously approved the decision.

He confirmed that this was done to allow more people to visit polling booths and cast their ballots.

Zakariyya added that the timings have been announced beforehand as they did not want to make the timings public, on the day of the election.

Timings voting will proceed in Maldives from 8am to 5:30pm. In Trivandrum, India, polling will proceed from 8:30am to 6pm. In Colombo, Sri Lanka, polling will proceed from 8:30am to 6pm and in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, polling will proceed from 11am to 8:30pm.