MVR 70 million can be saved by combining both elections: Falah

PNC Parliamentary Group Leader Ibrahim Falah has said that holding elections simultaneously, as proposed in the Referendum Bill, would cut costs to the state by MVR 70 million.

Speaking during the debate on the Independent Institutions Committee report on the bill, Falah argued that aligning the presidential and parliamentary elections would shorten the electoral process and bring major state savings.

“Because of the shortening, MVR 70 million will be saved from the state budget. So the people of Maldives will understand today that MDP does not [want] even the slightest amount of austerity policy,” Falah said.

Falah criticized MDP after some of its members said they would not support the bill, framing their position as opposition to reducing state spending.

However, MDP Parliamentary Group Leader Ibrahim Nazil (Hithadhoo South MP) countered that their objection was not to cost savings but to procedural concerns. He noted that the committee report ignored issues raised by Galolhu South MP Meekail Ahmed Naseem, aligned with MDP.

Meekail had said that the current bill could be used to shape outcomes of public opinion polls.

The bill, introduced in Parliament to facilitate referendums, covers a range of constitutional and electoral changes. These include moving the presidential inauguration date from November 17 to November 11, holding presidential and parliamentary elections together, and eliminating the second round of presidential elections.

It also establishes procedures for seeking public opinion on broader issues of national importance, such as constitutional amendments, the powers of Parliament and the presidency, presidential elections, and the territory of the Maldives.

If the President deems it appropriate to seek public opinion on national issues, the bill allows him to call a public vote. Such circumstances and cases where he is required to do so must be set out in a resolution signed by the President. Likewise, Parliament may also trigger a referendum by passing a resolution if it considers that a public vote is necessary.