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Over 2,400 apply for local council election: EC

Mariyam Malsa
01 March 2020, MVT 11:26
Elections Commission members during a press conference. PHOTO: EC
Mariyam Malsa
01 March 2020, MVT 11:26

The Elections Commission (EC), on Saturday, revealed that more than 2,400 individuals had submitted their candidacy for the local council election slated for April 4.

Speaking at a press conference, EC president Ahmed Shareef stated that the total number of applications from political parties and individual candidates reached 2,435.

The application window for the 2020 local council and Women's Development Committee elections closed during the previous week.

Number of candidates per political party

- Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP): 876 candidates

- Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM): 679 candidates

- Jumhooree Party (JP): 127 candidates

- Adhaalath Party: 30 candidates

- Maldives Development Alliance (MDA): 22 candidates

- Maldives Reform Movement (MRM): 16 candidates

- Maldives Labour and Social Democratic Party (MLSDP): four candidates

- Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP): one candidate

- Independent candidates: 680

Shareef also disclosed that, in a total 15 seats belonging to 12 island councils, only one candidate was contesting and that therefore, they had won by default.

According to the EC president, 1,817 individuals submitted candidacy for the WDC election. He added that only the required number of candidates had submitted candidacy for WDCs in 22 islands while a sufficient amount of applications were not received for three islands and two islands had no candidates.

In response EC has decided to reopen applications for these five islands. However, polls for these islands will be held at a later date.

Despite applications being opened for 53 resorts, EC President Shareef stated that only 22 resorts had requested ballot boxes. He added that resort workers can register in other locations if ballot boxes will not be placed at their place of employment.

Revealing that 22,000 individuals had applied for re-registration, the EC president stated that the commission would open for re-registration from March 6 to 7 and release a final re-registration list on March 12.

Furthermore the EC president stated that the commission was currently conducting discussions with state-owned enterprises and political parties in order to secure an additional 2,000 election officials. Stating that more than 6,300 officials would be required, Shareef stated that the elections commission had only 4,000 officials including civil servants working in islands.

He urged members of the public to display initiative by applying as officials and support the commission's efforts to hold the local council election.

In the event that members of political parties are chosen as election officials, Shareef assured that different parties would be treated on a fair basis.

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