EC begins work to elect a city council for Kulhudhuffushi

Elections Commission (EC) has begun work on electing a city council for H.Dh. Kulhudhuffushi after the President announced today that island will be designated as a city starting from next year onwards.

The residents of Kulhudhuffushi have previously expressed dismay at the fact that the island would have an elected island council instead of a city council, despite promises of being designated as a city, in the upcoming local elections. These concerns are expected to evaporate along with the island’s elevation to city status as the President fulfills his pledge.

Giving the city status to Kulhudhuffushi, which is a major hub in the north of Maldives, was an important pledge of the administration of President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih to the islanders of Kulhudhuffushi.

No comment was available from President’s Office spokesperson Ibrahim Hood on which island would be designated as the next governing island of H.Dh. Atoll. He did state that there were some matters of administration and governance to be ironed out.

The Maldives currently has three cities. They are the capital Male’ city in the central region, Addu City and Fuvahmulah city in the southern region. The number will increase to four with the inclusion of Kulhudhuffushi city in the north from 2020 onwards. Under the law, an island can be declared as a city if it has a population of 10,000, a number reached by Kulhudhuffushi in November of 2018.

Kulhudhuffushi currently has 10,172 people as its population, which will see it elect seven council members. 19 councilors would be elected from Male’ city, while Addu city will elect 13 councilors. Fuvahmulah city will elect 11 councilors.

The EC has also designated the constituencies dedicated to women under the amendment to the Decentralization Act.