Local council elections to cost around MVR 80 million: EC

Elections Commission (EC) President Ahmed Zahid has said that approximately MVR 80 million is expected to be spent on next year’s elections to elect members of local councils and women’s development committees.

Speaking on PSM’s Raajje Miadhu programme, Zahid noted that elections in the Maldives are very expensive, adding that the EC is exploring ways to reduce costs in the future.

“We are looking at this [council election] and at least about 70 or 80 million will be spent,” he said.

Zahid explained that the high cost of elections is due to the extensive arrangements made to ensure transparency and credibility.

Responding to past opposition allegations that electronic devices will be used to influence election outcomes, Zahid assured that all processes in the upcoming local council elections will be carried out physically in person.

“Anything that happens on the day of the elections, we will not change it even by a millimeter, the election will be conducted as before,” he said.

Zahid added that the arrangements for elections in the Maldives are widely trusted, both by the public and by international observers.