MDP urges EC to hold Majlis elections after Ramadan

The main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) urged the Elections Commission (EC) on Thursday to hold the upcoming parliamentary elections after the month of Ramadan.

In a letter to the EC, MDP said they have been informed the commission plans on holding the elections during Ramadan, and alleged that the decision involves government influence.

The party noted that both the Parliament’s Independent Institutions Committee and the National Advisory Committee, along with individual political parties, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), Human Rights Commission of Maldives (HRCM) and Transparency Maldives have all advised the EC to hold the elections after Ramadan.

But this party has been informed that in contravention of all these recommendations and due to government influence, the commission plans on holding the elections during Ramadan, said the MDP.

The party called on EC not to bow down to pressure and to schedule the elections for after Ramadan.

The term of the current parliamentary assembly expires on May 28.

EC had originally asked the Parliament’s Independent Institutions Committee to make legal amendments to push up the date for parliamentary elections to before Ramadan. However, the committee recommended postponing the election to after Ramadan.

EC’s vice chairman Ismail Habeeb has previously stated that it would be hard to hold the elections after Ramadan as it would fall within the Eid holidays. He said that people will be travelling for the holidays, which will significantly lower the voter turnout.

The commission is set to announce a date for the elections on Sunday.