Councilors elected in the April 4 Local Council Elections have taken oath of office today. 

The ceremony was held at the sitting councilors' terms conclude today. 

Swearing in ceremonies for the councilors-elect were held in Male' and the islands, while Women's Development Committee members also signed declarations. 

The ceremony in Male' was held at the Social Centre.

High Court Judge Hussain Shaneez Abdulla administered the oath for Mayor re-elect Adam Azim and the 17 newly elected Male' City councilors. 

Members elected to the Women's Development Committee also signed declarations at today's ceremony. 

The ceremony was attended by former councilors, foreign Ambassadors, and other senior officials. 

In his address at the ceremony, Mayor Adam Azim said that the impact of decisions made by the Male' City Council extend beyond the boundaries of the city. As such, it is imperative that these decisions are made in a transparent, democratic manner, he said. 

Azim said the council's work must ensure the city is run in a way that delivers the greatest ease and benefit to the public. Taking into consideration the congestion and land scarcity in the capital, the council's plans must be formulated with long-term impacts in mind, he added. 

"Every decision should address today's needs and tomorrow's security. We must also provide reliable, solid municipal services," Azim said. 

Waste management, street maintenance, maintenance of public spaces, markets and heritage sites, as well as emergency response measures are directly related to people's lives, and as such, the council must strive to improve the standard of these services, Azim said. The council should also work towards building Male' into a climate-resilient city, he stressed. 

Azim assured that right from the beginning, the council will strive towards upholding integrity and accountability. He stressed that elected officials must be accountable for public funds, and any approved budgets must reflect actual expenditure. Attention will also be given to ensuring that the best possible use is made of public funds, he said, adding that he will accept the internal audit report as a protective measure instead of dismissing it as criticism.

Azim asserted that the council, along with ensuring financial discipline and transparency, would not shy away from bringing about reforms where necessary. 

The mayor assured that the council is committed to working closely with the public. He called on the government to include Hulhumale' as well under the Male' City Council's jurisdiction, adding that this is a legal responsibility of the government. 

The April 4 elections saw 681 councilors elected, along with 681 members of WDCs. 

According to data shared by the Elections Commission on April 19, PNC won 280 seats in the councils, including 5 in city councils, 75 council president seats, 101 seats reserved for women, and 99 general councilor seats. 

Along with WDC president and member seats, PNC won a total of 584 seats. 

Opposition MDP, meanwhile, won a total of 289 seats in the councils, including mayoral seats in all 5 cities, 41 city council seats, 73 island council president seats, 88 seats reserved for women, and 82 general councilor seats. 

Along with WDC president and member seats, MDP won a total of 563 seats.