EC opens local council election constituency list for complaints

The Elections Commission (EC) today published the provisional list of electoral constituencies for the upcoming Local Council Elections and opened the list for complaints.

The Elections Commission (EC) today published the provisional list of electoral constituencies for the Local Council Elections, which are scheduled to be held on April 4th, 2026. This list has been opened for public complaints until next Monday. 

The EC requires that all complaints be submitted in writing, either to the commission's office or via email, and must be accompanied by a copy of the complainant's ID card. For further assistance, the EC Call Center (1414) is operational daily, except Friday, from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM, and on Friday from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM. 

Overall, the election will see the selection of councillors and Women's Development Committee (WDC) members from a total of 226 constituencies.

These elections will be conducted following recent amendments to the Decentralization Act. A significant change mandates that islands with a population of less than 2,000 will now elect three councillors, while islands with a population of 2,000 or more will elect five councillors. 

According to the EC's provisional report, 133 islands fall into the lower population category, requiring the election of a total of 399 councillors and 399 WDC members. For these three-councillor islands, one seat is specifically reserved for women, though female candidates may contest the other seats as well.

Conversely, 46 islands have a population exceeding 2,000, meaning they must elect five councillors each. These islands will collectively elect 230 councillors and 230 WDC members. For the five-councillor islands, the female quota remains at two seats, consistent with the previous arrangement. The EC aims to finalize the constituency demarcations after addressing all public feedback received during this complaint period.

The provisional list for the upcoming Local Council Elections outlines the specific number of councillors to be elected for each city, including the mandated female quota. For both Kulhudhuffushi City and Thinadhoo City, the council will consist of seven members in total, which includes the Mayor. Of these seven seats, two seats have been specifically reserved for women as part of the gender quota.

Moving to the central regions, the Fuvahmulah City Council is set to elect a total of nine members, including the City Mayor. In Fuvahmulah's council structure, three seats are allocated as the dedicated female quota.

The largest councils are for the southernmost and capital cities: Addu City will elect the Mayor and 10 councillors, totaling 11 members, with four seats reserved for women. The Malé City Council, according to the provisional list, will elect a total of 18 councillors, with six seats specifically designated for women under the quota.