Parliament Requests ECM to Conduct Systematic Vote

The Maldives Parliament has formally requested the Elections Commission of Maldives (ECM) to conduct a systematic vote on the country’s system of government, with the deadline set before November. 

ދިވެހިރާއްޖޭގައި މިހާރު އޮތް ވެރިކަމުގެ ނިޒާމު ބަދަލުކުރުމާ ގުޅޭގޮތުން، ރައްޔިތުންގެ ޚިޔާލު ހޯދުމުގެ ޢާންމު ވޯޓު ނެގުމަށް، ރައްޔިތުންގެ މަޖިލީހުން ފާސްކުރައްވާފައިވާ ޤަރާރު، ކޮމިޝަނަށް މިއަދު ލިބިއްޖެ.
މިކަމާމެދު، ކޮމިޝަނުން ޢަމަލު ކުރާނޭގޮތުގެ ޤާނޫނީ ލަފާ މިހާރު މިދަނީ ހޯދަމުން.

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— Elections Commission (@ElectionsMv) September 21, 2023

This directive comes following a resolution proposed by Hulhudhoo MP Ilyas Labeeb on September 12, initially calling for the vote to take place before November 30.

ECM Vice-President, Ismail Habeeb, confirmed the parliament’s request in a statement to Sun Media. 

Habeeb noted that ECM is currently seeking legal counsel to ensure compliance with the parliamentary request. He stated that further details would be provided after thorough discussions.

However, Ilyas Labeeb introduced an amendment to the resolution, pushing the deadline for the vote to October 30, despite the initial proposal specifying November 30 as the target date.

During the committee’s vote on the resolution, 31 out of the 34 present members voted in favour of the resolution, including Ilyas Labeeb’s amendment. Subsequently, in a session of the Majlis, the resolution was passed without any members seeking to debate it. 

Out of the 39 members present, a majority of 35 voted in favour of the resolution.

It is crucial to mention that the General Elections Act mandates a specific timeframe for ECM to organise an election, requiring a window of between 30 and 45 days. In response, ECM emphasised its legal obligations, including the necessity of allowing voters to re-register and providing a complaint submission deadline. 

The estimated cost for such an election is projected to range between MVR 40 million and MVR 50 million.

The proposed change in the system of government is primarily supported by The Democrats, who garnered 15,000 votes out of the 200,000 cast in the presidential election. 

On the other hand, several other political parties are resistant to altering the current system. Notably, both the ruling party MDP and the opposition alliance PPM/PNC have expressed their endorsement for a transparent vote on the system of government following the presidential election.