Work ongoing to hold an extraordinary parliamentary session

The main ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP)'s parliamentary group is preparing to hold an extraordinary parliamentary sitting this January, to amend the legislation required to ensure that the Local Council and Women's Development Committee (WDC) elections can take place within the required deadline.

Central-Henveiru constituency MP Ali Azim confirmed this to RaajjeMV, and said this is to ensure that the elections are held prior to the deadline stated in the previous amendment brought to ensure that there is no legal vacuum despite delaying the voting.

The Local Council and WDC elections were postponed in light of the Covid-19 pandemic through a special bill, ratified by President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih on 10th May 2020, which declares 9 May 2021 as the final day for the elections to be conducted.

The Elections Commission (EC) recently announced that the biggest obstacle to hosting the elections was the extended state of public health emergency across the Maldives, but the Health Protection Agency (HPA) has acknowledged they cannot say for sure when the situation will improve enough for them to lift it.

The Local Council and WDC elections were initially meant to be held on 4 April 2020. Most recently, the EC attempted to hold the elections in March of 2021. They have since declared that they would be unable to organize and host the elections under such short notice, referring to the time limitations EC faced following the additional one-month extension for the state of public health emergency signed into effect by the Minister for Health Ahmed Naseem on 4 January.

Noting that the main ruling party's parliamentary group is working to hold an extraordinary sitting to resolve any issues that might further delay the elections, Azim said that discussions were already underway, and that the meeting would be held sometime this month though a date is yet to be confirmed.

Former President and Speaker of Parliament, Mohamed Nasheed also stressed the importance of expediting the council elections, even if through more legislative changes.

The Elections Commission has also called to bring amendments to the law in light of the many obstacles they have faced in hosting the elections during the global Covid-19 pandemic.

The first parliament sitting of the year, where President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih will deliver the presidential address, is scheduled for February 4.