A total of 386 candidates are competing in April's parliamentary elections, reveals the Elections Commission (EC).

While EC had first announced that candidates will not be allowed to withdraw their names after drawing of candidate numbers, it had given the opportunity to do so until the printing of ballot papers.

EC had finalized ballot printers on Tuesday, with the Commission tweeting that the deadline for candidature withdrawal expired that day.

Noting that there were 389 candidates at the time of the draw, an EC official on Thursday told RaajjeMV that three candidates have withdrawn names since, reducing the number of 386.

The three candidates that have withdrawn names so far are; Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP)’s nominee for Mahibadhoo constituency Ali Ahmed, Maldives Labour and Social Democratic Party’s for Gemanafushi constituency Mohamed Ilhaam and independent candidate for Central-Hithadhoo constituency Zahid Rameez.

While the parliamentary election is scheduled for April 6, 264,589 people are eligible to vote.