AG Defends Holding Referendum with Local Council, WDC Elections

Attorney General Ahmed Usham has defended the decision to hold the public referendum alongside the local council and Women’s Development Committee (WDC) elections on 4 April, citing reduced costs.

In addition to the local council and WDC elections, the public will also cast a third vote on 4 April to decide whether the presidential and parliamentary elections should be held together.

Usham defended the move following criticism over holding the referendum next month, after former Supreme Court Justice Husnu Al Suood criticised the plan in a video posted as part of a campaign against combining the two elections. Suood said prioritising the referendum alongside the council and WDC polls shows the government is advancing its own agenda.

According to Suood, other issues requiring constitutional reform include the current issue where presidents appoint individuals to political posts without a cap, as well as concerns over political influence on independent institutions such as the Elections Commission of Maldives (ECM), Judicial Service Commission (JSC), and Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).

In a post on X, Usham said there is general agreement that the current constitution has issues and requires reform. As part of this process, he said the government has decided to submit three amendments to the constitution, including one that would allow presidential and parliamentary elections to be held simultaneously.

“To ratify this amendment, the Constitution mandates a public vote, where the citizens decide whether this is acceptable or not,” Usham said.

“The other proposed amendments to the Constitution do not require a public referendum to take effect,” he added, referring to plans to reform the composition of the Judicial Service Commission and address the continued increase in the number of Members of Parliament.

Usham said that with the entire country preparing for the Local Council Elections, holding the referendum at the same time would significantly reduce costs compared to conducting a nationwide vote separately.

“If such a vote were held independently across the country, it would cost at least MVR 80 million. By holding this vote with the Council Elections, costs will be significantly reduced, easing the burden on the state budget,” he said.

He added that the other intended constitutional amendments will also be submitted to the People’s Majlis without much delay, noting that final discussions on the proposals are currently underway.