The Election Commission of Maldives (ECM) has revealed that the main portal records the time of submission, and that nomination forms submitted outside the designated submission window will not be accepted.
The Commission said the local council elections scheduled for 4 April will be conducted in a heavily digitised manner, with candidates required to submit their nomination forms digitally and online. This year’s local council and women’s development committee elections are among the largest elections to be held in the country.
According to the Election Commission’s report on constituency determination, 626 councillors will be elected to island councils and 52 councillors to city councils.
Of the 133 island councils, some will elect three councillors, including a council president and one female member, while 46 island councils will elect five councillors, including a council president and two female councillors.
The number of members elected to the women’s development committees will be equal to the number of councillors elected to island and city councils.
The period for submitting nominations will open on 17 January and close on 1 February at 15:30hrs.
The Election Commission has enabled candidates to complete the application process through MyPortal. However, completed nomination forms must be formally submitted to the Election Commission on Saturday.
The Commission said the early opening of the portal is intended to allow candidates to upload required documents, prepare in advance, and identify any technical or procedural issues encountered during submission.
Several key requirements have been outlined for candidates. Applications submitted through the portal will be accepted only during official working hours, from 08:30hrs to 15:30hrs on all days except Sundays. On Sundays, applications will be accepted from 15:30hrs to 18:00hrs.
Speaking on the matter, President of the Election Commission Mohamed Zahid said administrative arrangements must align with the portal’s preset submission times. He said candidates will be informed within five days whether their nominations have been accepted.
The Commission has advised applicants to ensure that all documents meet the required standards. One mandatory document is a criminal record certificate obtained through the courts. While criminal records are cleared for five years for employment purposes, candidates contesting elections are required to have lifetime clearance.
Candidates with proven debts have also been cautioned when submitting nomination forms. The Commission said a document confirming that the debt exists and is being repaid regularly must be submitted. Proven debts include court-ordered payments arising from agreements between individuals, child maintenance obligations in divorce cases, and loan repayments to financial institutions. The Election Commission said documents issued by banks or financial institutions must clearly state that repayments are being made on a regular basis, adding that nomination forms will not be accepted if such confirmation is not provided.
The Commission said the portal is designed to prevent submissions outside permitted times and to ensure that male candidates cannot contest seats legally reserved for women. Arrangements have also been made to allow independently contesting candidates to seek public support through the main portal.
The Election Commission has urged candidates to submit their nomination forms without delay.