The Local Council Elections will be held on March 28, according to the Elections Commission (EC).
In an appearance on Public Service Media (PSM)’s ‘Raajje Miadhu’ show on Saturday night, EC’s chairman Mohamed Zahid said that the commission has set a tentative date for the Local Council Elections and the Women’s Development Committee Elections, and working on holding it on that date.
“We have settled on March 28, 2026 as the tentative date for the elections. This is the date on which we plan to hold the Local Council Elections and the Women’s Development Committee Elections,” he said.
Zahid said the EC plans on opening candidacy for the elections on January 17.
“We will work on following these two dates as planned,” he said.
Zahid said that the Local Council Elections and the Women’s Development Committee Elections are the hardest elections to organize administratively, requiring a lot of preparation.
He said that the commission needs some 270 administrative workers for the elections, and are already working on recruiting workers needed for the taskforce.
According to Zahid, the EC plans on carrying out the candidacy process paperless, with candidates required to submit their applications via the commission’s portal.
Zahid described the digitalization of the candidacy process as a key measure towards cutting down costs and reducing the administrative workload.
According to Zahid, the nationwide elections are expected to cost between MVR 70 million to MVR 80 million.
Zahid added that the commission also plans to hold awareness sessions in some 32 of the most populous islands across 12 atolls. According to him, the sessions will be held from November through December in partnership with other independent institutions and NGOs, and will educate eligible voters on the importance of voting and provide key information regarding the elections.
The commission also plans to raise awareness through various media platforms.