No Shortage of Polling Station Officials, Says ECM Vice Chairman

In the lead-up to the upcoming presidential election in Maldives, the Election Commission of Maldives (ECM) has stated that there is no shortage of polling station officials. 

Vice Chairman and Spokesperson of ECM, Ismail Habeeb, addressed the matter, emphasising that recruiting officials for the electoral process has not posed any significant challenges.

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The ECM has been actively conducting training sessions for officials who will play a crucial role in the forthcoming presidential election. These training sessions have been held in both Male’ City and islands since the 20th of this month.

Habeeb, in an interview with PSM News, acknowledged that although there had been concerns initially, the process of securing officials for the election had proceeded without any notable hindrances. He outlined that the selection process prioritises individuals who maintain a neutral stance towards any political movement or party.

Furthermore, Habeeb detailed the significance of maintaining a specific code of conduct for the officials participating in the electoral process. He underscored that those selected to be part of this essential aspect of democracy must abstain from supporting or advocating for any particular political party. 

Even though individuals with political affiliations are considered as potential officials, Habeeb clarified that such appointments are made only when suitable non-affiliated candidates are not available.

The ECM has unveiled its plan to appoint a total of 5600 officials for the upcoming presidential election. As of now, over 5000 officials have been recruited.

A network of 574 polling stations is slated to be established across five countries for this year’s presidential election. 

The initial round of voting is scheduled to transpire on September 9, featuring a field of eight candidates vying for the presidential position.