The Elections Commission has announced the date for the Local Council Elections 2020.

The commission, via Twitter, announced that local council elections has been scheduled for April 4.

EC had previously revealed that the upcoming elections will be different from the previous ones.

As such, in order to make it easier for the candidates and voters, EC has decided to set the number of voters at a single ballot box to 700. This will in turn increase the number of ballot boxes, and the commission plans to increase the number of election officials to around 7,000.

While ballot boxes are to be placed abroad as well, the commission will release more details ahead of the election.

The parliament is currently deliberating on an amendment bill to the Decentralization Act, which the government intends to implement ahead of next year’s council elections.

The amendment bill seeks to increase the term of councilors from three to five years, establish atoll councils comprising of the presidents of island councils. In addition, presidents and vice presidents of all councils are to be elected through a public vote.