The parliamentary elections to be underway in the Maldives shortly will be both free and transparent, guarantees Elections Commission chief Ahmed Shareef.

Speaking at a panel discussion on Friday, Shareef said that members and commission staff have worked towards ensuring that the polling and ballot counting processes are transparent.

Shareef further refuted the suggestion that the commission harbours bias towards a party, adding that he ‘does not wish to see any candidate lose or win over the other’ and that the people must decide.

The commission president went on to express his belief that Saturday’s election will be the least problematic, and one where they receive the least complaints from voters, candidates, and their representatives.

The commission has placed 501 ballot boxes at polling stations across the Maldives, and eight ballot boxes abroad, in India, Sri Lanka, and Malaysia.

Polling and counting will be carried out in front of a total 2,233 monitors, including four international monitors, and 3,624 observers.