Shahid Accuses Government of Seeking to Undermine Elections

Abdulla Shahid, president of the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), has accused the government of seeking to disrupt the electoral process through a proposal to hold presidential and parliamentary elections simultaneously.

Shahid on his X account post said the plan was designed to disrupt elections and thus weaken citizens’ ability to exercise their constitutional rights. He argued that combining the two polls would deprive voters of what he described as their most fundamental democratic power.

“These are plans intended to deprive the people of the strongest basic power that the Constitution guarantees, the power of the vote,” he said.

ރިޔާސީ އިންތިޚާބާއި މަޖްލިސް އިންތިޚާބު އެކުގައި ބޭއްވުމަށް ސަރުކާރުން ހުށަހާޅާފައިވަނީ އިންތިޚާބުތައް ގަޑުބަޑު ކުރުމުގެ ނިޔަތުގައި. މިއީ ރައްޔިތުންނަށް ގާނޫނު އަސާސީ ކަށަވަރުކޮށްދޭ އެންމެ ވަރުގަދަ އަސާސީ ބާރު، “ވޯޓު” ގެ ބާރު، ނިގުޅައިގަތުމަށް ހީލަތްތެރިކަމާއިއެކު ރާވާ ނުބައި…— Abdulla Shahid (@abdulla_shahid) January 5, 2026

The government, however, has defended the proposal, saying that holding both elections on the same day would improve efficiency, reduce costs and minimise voter fatigue. Officials have stressed that the change is administrative and would not compromise the integrity of the electoral process.

Opposition figures have raised concerns that conducting two national elections at once could create logistical difficulties, confuse voters and place additional strain on electoral institutions. They have also argued that such a significant change requires broad political consensus and careful legal scrutiny.

Today the parliament accepted a bill seeking to amend the constitution to allow parliamentary and presidential elections to be held together. The bill was submitted by the ruling People’s National Congress (PNC) majority leader and Inguraidhoo MP Ibrahim Falah on behalf of the government.

The bill was accepted with 46 MPs voting in favour and five against, and has been sent to the Committee on Independent Institutions for review.

If approved, the amendment would shorten the term of the current 20th Parliament by around six months. It would move the first sitting of a newly elected parliament to 1 December 2028 and require all administrative arrangements for the new legislature to be completed before that date.