Addu referendum expenses between MVR 700K-MVR 800K

Elections Commission (EC) has estimated that approximately MVR 700,000 to MVR 800,000 will be incurred to hold the referendum on the composition of Addu City Council.

The referendum, scheduled for Saturday, October 25^th, will ask residents of Feydhoo, Hulhudhoo, and Meedhoo districts of Addu City whether they support forming separate councils for their islands. The referendum was announced by President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu on September 17, and is the first to be held under the newly enacted Public Referendum Act.

Speaking with Sun regarding the matter, EC member Solah Rasheed said approximately MVR 700,000 to MVR 800,000 is expected to be incurred to hold the referendum.

EC is preparing to hold the referendum on Saturday, with the Commission reporting earlier that all administrative works are complete.

Nearly 10,000 people are eligible to vote in the referendum. They are:

• 4,355 people from Feydhoo
• 2,874 people from Hulhudhoo
• 2,347 people from Meedhoo

In this regard, ballot boxes will be placed at Feydhoo School in Feydhoo, Hulhudhoo School and Seenu Atoll School in Hulhudhoo, Islamic University of Maldives (IUM) Addu City Learning Centre in Meedhoo and Kalaafaanu School in Male’.

Three ballot boxes will be placed in Hulhudhoo and Meedhoo each, five in Feydhoo and seven in Male’.

The first Presidential Decree No. 27/2025, issued on October 6, proposed two questions for Hulhudhoo and Meedhoo residents, one about forming separate councils and another about forming a joint council.

On October 12, a new decree was issued based on Cabinet advice, amending the referendum format. The revised decree removed the joint council question, leaving only one question per island about forming a separate council.

This change was made under Article 115 of the Constitution and Section 4 of the Public Referendum Act. 

Under the revised format, voters in Hulhudhoo, Meedhoo, and Feydhoo will each be asked a single question:

• Hulhudhoo: Should a separate council be established for Addu Hulhudhoo?
• Meedhoo: Should a separate council be established for Addu Meedhoo?
• Feydhoo: Should a separate council be established for Addu Feydhoo?

President Muizzu has emphasized that the government will remain neutral and implement the outcome decided by the majority of voters. “There is no particular outcome preferred by the government,” he stated on social media, reaffirming that the administration will respect the public’s decision.

If the residents of Hulhudhoo, Meedhoo and Feydhoo were to decide forming seperate councils, Addu City districts that will remain part of Addu City Council are: Hithadhoo, Gan, Maradhoofeydhoo and Maradhoo.