5,000 monitors for parliamentary election

Elections Commission (EC)’s Vice President Ismail Habeeb states a total of 9,900 observers, monitors and representatives will be active at polling stations in the upcoming parliamentary elections.

Habeeb, in a post on X on Monday, said the 9,990 individuals include 2,952 observers, 5,018 monitors and 1,930 representatives.

He cited the work of observers, monitors and representatives as integral to ensuring independence, fairness and transparency in all processes of the election from voting to counting.

The parliamentary election is slated for March 17^th – which falls within Ramadan. The parliament, subsequently, has passed an amendment to the General Election Act, banning national elections during Ramadan which would effectively postpone the elections.

However, President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu rejected the bill on Monday, and sent it back to the parliament.

Main opposition MDP, which introduced the bill, had anticipated the move.

The party warned last week that it will pass the same bill again, with a greater majority, if the president refused to ratify the bill, which will result in the automatic ratification of the bill.