ECM Mandates Candidates to Open Seperate Accounts for Parliamentary Elections

The Election Commission of Maldives (ECM) has announced that individuals aspiring to participate in the parliamentary elections must open a new bank account.

The decision was announced following a meeting held today by the ECM. Ismail Habeeb, the Vice Chairman of ECM, shared that the necessary application forms would be made public today to facilitate interested individuals. While the forms are available for public access, the actual submission of applications will commence from the 30th of this month.

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Habeeb highlighted that the ECM had observed candidates clearing their criminal and debt records during the political parties’ primaries. Consequently, records completed by the Department of Judicial Administration and the Maldives Correctional Service after December 14 of the previous year will be considered valid.

Additionally, candidates participating in this year’s parliamentary elections are required to open a new bank account specifically for election-related expenses. This practice aligns with legal requirements aimed at identifying and monitoring the costs associated with the election process. Habeeb noted that, in contrast to past elections, candidates are now compelled to open a separate account for their campaign expenditures.

With the parliamentary elections scheduled for March, the specific polling time is yet to be announced. However, in anticipation of the election day coinciding with the month of Ramadan, the ECM plans to reduce the number of voters per polling station, aiming to expedite the polling process. Habeeb mentioned that a maximum of 600 people will be allowed to vote at each polling station.

As the elections draw near, political parties are actively preparing for primaries to nominate their candidates for the upcoming parliamentary elections.