The parliamentary election held in the Maldives on Saturday to elect members to the unicameral People’s Majlis was free and fair, international observers unanimously agree.

At a joint press conference on Monday, observers said that all administrative preparations had been well-made and that voting was carried out smoothly. 

Japanese Ambassador to the Maldives, Keiko Yanai, said at Monday’s conference that voting was generally free, fair, and peaceful, with the polling process having been transparent. 

Ambassador Yanai also said that the information and experience gathered in Saturday’s election will help consolidate democracy in the Maldives, and organise elections in the future. 

Giorgi Kalandarishvili, chief of the Georgian Central Elections Commission’s legal maintenance division, also commended the local Elections Commission’s administrative preparation.

Kaladarishvili said that his delegation only had the opportunity to observe polling stations on voting day, and that voting was transparent at places they observed. 

Further, Kaladarishvili also commended the commission for extending voting time, and in turn commended the high turnout, despite ‘intense heat’ in capital city Malé on Saturday. 

Sitti Maimoona Azeeza, head of audits at the Philippines Commission on Elections, that the preparations made for Saturday’s election was carefully considered, and that her delegation has learned ‘much to be used back in the Philippines’.

Jordanian observer Faisal al Shubel, a member of the Jordanian Independent Elections Commission, commended the high voter turnout and said that electoral officials would benefit from training. 

Chandanie Watawala, director of ANFEL (Asian Network for Free Elections) said that her delegation had operated at about 30 ballot boxes and that all processes had been ‘generally transparent’. 

Director Watawala advised that the Elections Commission make preparations to allow international observers to view the electoral process until official results are released. 

38 international observers and six monitors had been active during Saturday’s vote. 

The Elections Commission began announcing interim results on Monday.