Elections Commission has decided to officially request the government to declare April 21, Sunday - the day of the parliamentary elections - a public holiday.
Elections are generally held on Saturdays, one of of the reasons for which is that many election officials are full time staff at government institutions.
Elections Commission set April 21 as the date for parliamentary elections after President Dr Mohamed Muizzu ratified the amended General Elections Act stipulating that elections must be held ten days post-Ramadan.
Opposition Maldivian Democratic Party has since raised concerns because this date coincides with a weekday.
An official of the Elections Commission told Mihaaru News that they will be submitting a letter to the President's Office today requesting that the day of voting be declared a public holiday.
Elections Commission President Fuad Thaufeeq has said yesterday that if the elections are not held on the day determined now, there may be a failure to elect a new parliament before the current parliament's term comes to end, resulting in legal issues.
Fuad further said that the new amendments to the law stipulates that the date for the election must fall earliest on April 21, Sunday. Delaying the election to the next possible Saturday would leave insufficient time to complete formalities and have the new members sworn in ahead of the deadline stipulated in the law.
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