EC to make decision on delaying elections after discussions with Covid-19 monitoring committee

A decision on postponing the upcoming local council and women's development committee elections will be taken after discussions with the Covid-19 monitoring committee says Vice-president of the Elections Commission of the Maldives (EC), Ahmed Akram.

While the local council and women's development committee elections are slated for April 4th, members of the public have called for the elections to be postponed.

Speaking to RaajjeMV, Vice-president of the EC Ahmed Akram stated that the commission will meet with the state's Covid-19 monitoring committee very soon, adding that a decision on postponing the upcoming elections will be taken after discussions with the committee. As such, Akram did not disclose when the meeting with the committee will take place.

As such, EC held an emergency meeting with the National Advisory Committee on Wednesday night. However, there were no discussions about postponing at the meeting, revealed Akram.

Akram stated that discussions during the meeting focused on alternatives for ballot boxes placed abroad due to the rapid spread of Covid-19 across the globe.

Healthcare experts have recommended delaying the elections as a preventive measure against the spread of Covid-19 and MP's have also expressed similar concerns. Nevertheless, EC had previously stated that there were no plans to delay the upcoming elections.