ECM Sets March 17 as Date for Parliamentary Elections

The Elections Commission of Maldives (ECM) has officially announced that this year’s parliamentary elections are scheduled to take place on March 17, coinciding with the first week of Ramadan.

The decision comes after deliberations by the ECM, considering calls to postpone the elections until after Ramadan. According to the law, the ECM is mandated to initiate the election process 120 days before the parliamentary term expires, leading to the March 17 election date falling within the holy month.

Addressing concerns over potential administrative challenges, the ECM emphasised the difficulty of holding elections after Ramadan. The commission cited the impending reopening of schools in the week following Eid holidays, posing logistical challenges in securing suitable election centers. Additionally, the ECM highlighted the practical hurdles associated with carrying out election-related activities during the last 10 days of Ramadan, declared as public holidays.

The ECM’s initial proposal to advance the parliamentary election date before Ramadan faced resistance from the Parliament’s Independent Institutions Committee, which recommended a postponement to after Ramadan. Despite this recommendation, the ECM ultimately decided to proceed with the March 17 election date.

The move has generated controversy, particularly after the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) sent a letter to the ECM last week, expressing concern over the perceived influence of the government in the decision-making process.