Transparency Maldives has said that the preparations and arrangements ahead of polling for the runoff election were overall well-organized. This observation indicates an improvement in the election process compared to the first round.
The agency said ballot boxes opened for polling ahead of 09:00 a.m. while the Elections Commission (EC) scheduled voting commencement at 08:00 a.m.
Transparency said that polling began at 94 of the stations within 10 minutes after the official voting hour began, while 54 percent of the boxes were open for voting between 08:00 a.m. and 08:30 a.m.
The agency said that elections officials were present at all the polling stations ahead of the voting hour, while ballot papers were fully counted at every station before voters began casting their ballots.
Transparency Maldives' observers have reported that in 96 percent of the polling stations, measures were in place to guarantee a secret ballot. However, in the remaining 4 percent of ballot boxes, the assurance for a secret ballot was less clear.
A total of 490 observers and 297 volunteers dispatched from Transparency Maldives are active across various polling stations.
EC set up a total of 586 ballot boxes in various locations including the Malé region, atolls, resorts, industrial islands and zones, jails, and in five locations abroad.
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