Work on bill to merge presidential and parliamentary elections scheduled to end by January 15

The government’s proposed amendment to the Constitution to hold presidential and parliamentary elections simultaneously has been approved by Parliament and is scheduled to be finalized by January 15.

The amendment, submitted by the ruling PNC, was passed with 46 votes in favor and referred to the Independent Institutions Committee, which has set a deadline for completing its review and opening the bill for public comment until next Thursday.

The extraordinary sitting that began the process saw few members in attendance. Five MDP members opposed the amendment, while PNC members spoke in favor. MDP Interim Chairperson, Hanimaadhoo MP Abdul Ghafoor Moosa, reiterated that the party will protest the merger, calling the process rushed.

The bill seeks to hold parliamentary elections every five years alongside presidential elections, with the current parliamentary term set to expire on December 1, 2028. This means the next parliamentary elections will take place together with the presidential election before that date.

The proposed amendment also includes changes to the way parliamentary terms are calculated and other related constitutional provisions.

President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has previously stated that merging the two elections would save significant costs for the state.