EC announces 10 April as date for Local Council Elections

Elections Commission (EC) has announced April 10 as the date for the Local Council and Women's Development Committee (WDC) elections.

Speaking at the EC's National Advisory Committee meeting held to announce a date for the Local Council and WDC elections, President of the Elections Commission Ahmed Shareef said that work to host the elections would commence on Friday.

Shareef added that as the Health Protection Agency (HPA) publicized a health and safety regulation for the elections, and as a date to host the voting had been selected, candidates contesting in the elections could begin campaign efforts as per HPA's directive. EC President Shareef further revealed that the final date for candidates to withdraw their names from the ballot would be announced on Saturday.

The Local Council and WDC elections, initially scheduled for 4 April 2020, were postponed in light of the state of public health emergency announced in Maldives due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The People's Majlis passed special legislation to postpone the elections, which require the elections to be held within one year of the ratification of the bill. As such, the final deadline to conduct the Local Council and WDC elections is 9 May 2021.

While EC noted issues in holding the elections prior to deadline, including the nationwide state of public health emergency, the president last week ratified the first amendment to the Local Council Elections Special Provisions Act, which allows voting during a state of public health emergency.