Candidates asked to re-apply, Council Election set for April 8

Elections Commission (EC) has declared the previous application form submissions null, instructing candidates and political parties to re-apply for the postponed Local Council Election which has now been scheduled for April 8.

Speaking during a press conference held by EC this Sunday night, Vice President of EC, Amjad Mustafa announced re-application for the Council Election will be open from 8 am on January 9 to 3 pm on February 6.

Amjad announced that unlike the last time, application forms from Male’ City will only be accepted from the election center set up by EC in former Jamaluddin School.

Amjad also said that any candidate who has failed in a political party primary will not be allowed to participate in the Council Election.

This follows an amendment to Political Parties Act by a lawmaker from the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM).

Secretary-General of EC, Ahmed Ali reported that candidates who re-apply do not need to re-submit documents such as criminal records. He said that the arrangements will be made by the elections center.

Though candidates need to re-submit their application forms, election observers and monitors will not need to re-submit their application forms.

Local Council Election – originally scheduled for January 14 – was postponed following a ruling by Civil Court.

Civil Court ruled that circumstances rendered the largest political party – PPM –unable to prepare in time for the election; and that the potential loss from PPM not being able to participate in the election outweighed the potential loss from postponing the election.