Holding the referendum on combining two major elections on the same day as the upcoming Local Council Election and the Women’s Development Committee Election will cost an additional MVR 20 million, says Mohamed Zahid, chairman of the Elections Commission (EC).
On Monday morning, the Parliament’s Independent Institutions Committee summoned officials from the EC and the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) to discuss the constitutional amendment submitted by the government to combine the Presidential Election and the Parliamentary Election.
The meeting came after Ibrahim Falah, the leader of ruling People’s National Congress (PNC)’s parliamentary group, said he believes a referendum on combining the Presidential Election and the Parliamentary Election will be held the same day as the Local Council Election – which is scheduled for April 4.
Speaking at the meeting, Zahid said that holding both votes simultaneously will result in additional costs to print ballots, recruit and pay more poll workers, and send more ballot boxes to islands.
“Given the logistics this involves, we believe it will take around MVR 20 million,” he said.
Chairman of the Elections Commission of the Maldives (ECM) Mohamed Zahid. (Photo/ECM)
Zahid said that keeping the cost down to MVR 20 million requires support from the Maldives Transport and Contracting Company (MTCC) and the national airline, Maldivian.
He estimates it will take between MVR 60 million – MVR 80 million to hold the referendum separately.
Speaking further, Zahid noted that combining the Presidential Election and Parliamentary Election means a significant change to the Maldives’ democracy, and that it is therefore imperative that necessary laws are passed as soon as possible in order to allow ample time to raise public awareness on the changes.
President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu had announced plans introduce constitutional amendments to combine the Presidential Election and Parliamentary Election as a cost-cutting measure back in July 2024. He said that combining the two elections will save around MVR 120 million in expenses.
The opposition is largely opposed to such a move. While former President Mohamed Nasheed has said he is in favor of combining the two elections, others within the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), including former chairperson Fayyaz Ismail and former Maldivian Vice President Faisal Naseem have publicly expressed opposition to the move. Former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom has also criticized the move.