State budget allocates MVR80 mln for parliamentary elections

The State Budget for the coming year allocates MVR 80 million for the parliamentary elections slated for March 2019.

According to the budget submitted to the parliament by Minister of Finance and Treasury Ahmed Munawar on Tuesday, the Elections Commission has not specified the exact expenditure for the parliamentary elections.

Local media Mihaaru reported that the EC estimated the expenditure to exceed MVR 80 million. However, the electoral watchdog has not made any official comments on the budget issue.

While the government has included MVR 80 million for the parliamentary election, the state budget for this year allocated MVR 85 million for the Presidential Election held last September.

Meanwhile, the EC has decided to add two more constituencies to Male City to meet the growing population of the capital, thus increasing the total number of constituencies from 85 to 87.

However, member of ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) and Nilandhoo MP Dr. Abdulla Khaleel has submitted an amendment to the Constitution, seeking to bar increasing the current number of parliament seats.