ECM Receives Over 930 Applications For Local Council Elections

The Elections Commission of the Maldives (ECM) has received 933 applications to contest the upcoming local council elections.

Applications for the local council and Women’s Development Committee (WDC) elections were opened on 17 January. Within a week, the ECM received a total of 1,633 applications for both elections, including 933 for local councils and 700 for WDCs.

Political parties have submitted 750 applications to contest local councils, of which 617 have been declared eligible. A total of 113 applications were deemed ineligible, while 41 candidates have resubmitted their forms.

Independent candidates have submitted 203 applications for local councils. Of these, 133 have been deemed eligible, and 70 have been deemed ineligible. Among those ineligible, 36 have resubmitted their applications.

For WDC elections, political parties have submitted 565 applications, with 488 candidates declared eligible. Fifteen of the 77 initially ineligible candidates have resubmitted their applications. Independent candidates have submitted 135 applications for WDCs, of which 86 have been deemed eligible.