HRCM Calls for Respect of Public Decision Following Elections

The Human Rights Commission of the Maldives has urged all parties to accept the outcomes of yesterday’s elections and address any concerns through the rule of law.

A total of 294,876 individuals were eligible to vote in the three polls held on Saturday, including the local council elections, the Women’s Development Committee (WDC) elections, and a referendum on shortening the current parliament’s term and aligning presidential and parliamentary elections on the same day.

Elections were conducted across 588 ballot boxes, including 240 in the Malé area, 322 in the atolls, 21 in resorts and 5 in prisons. A total of 2,961 candidates contested the local council and WDC elections, with 1,368 standing for council seats and 1,593 for WDC positions.

By 16:00, 185,709 voters had cast their ballots, representing a turnout of over 63 per cent. Preliminary results indicate that a majority of voters opposed the proposal to merge presidential and parliamentary elections, with 68.7 per cent voting against and 31.2 per cent in favour.

The main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party secured mayoral victories in five cities, including Malé, Addu City, Fuvahmulah, Thinadhoo and Kulhudhuffushi, with incumbent mayors retaining their seats.