EC opens candidacy for upcoming presidential elections

Elections Commission (EC), on Monday, opened applications for presidential candidacy.

EC made the announcement, revealing that applications for candidacy in the upcoming presidential elections slated for September 23 will be open till August 4.

The commission revealed that applications will be accepted at the EC office between Saturday to Thursday from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm, and 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm on Fridays.

According to Article 109 of the Constitution, in order to be eligible for presidential candidacy, one must;

- (a) be a Maldivian citizen born to parents who are Maldivian citizens, and who is not also a citizen of a foreign country;

- (b) be a Muslim and a follower of a Sunni school of Islam;

- (c) be at least thirty-five years of age;

- (d) be of sound mind;

- (e) not have an undischarged decreed debt;

- (f) not have been convicted of a criminal offence and sentenced to a term of more than twelve months, unless a period of three years has elapsed since his release, or pardon for the offence for which he was sentenced; and

- (g) despite the provisions of article (f), not have been convicted of an offence for which a hadd (punishments under Shariah, the Islamic law) are mandated and fixed by God. is prescribed in Islam or of fraud, deception or criminal breach of trust.

In addition, recently ratified amendments to the Constitution also condition presidential candidates to a 10-year gap after giving up dual citizenship or asylum in another country, in order to be eligible to contest in the run for presidency.

Presidential candidates are also required to pay a candidacy deposit fee of MVR 100,000.

Four individuals have unofficially announced their candidacies for the upcoming elections.

President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoomof ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), and Ibrahim Mohamed Solih from the opposition coalition had secured their candidacies with electoral tickets of their respective parties. Independent candidates in the run for presidency are former Minister of Home Affairs Umar Naseer and former Vice President of Local Government Authority (LGA), Shujau Hussain.