Elections Commission short of electoral officials, increases allowance

Elections Commission (EC) says it is short of 2,340 electoral officials for the upcoming local council elections and the women’s development committee elections.

At a press conference, EC’s Chairman, Ahmed Shareef said the commission was facing challenges in finding people to work as electoral officials at the elections.

EC has announced it needs 6,386 electoral officials for the local council elections and the women’s development committee elections, both of which will be held together, on April 4.

Shareef said the commission has only been able to 4,041 electoral officials after pooling together civil servants who have applied from the atolls.

The commission still needs 2,340 people, he said.

EC has begun engaging in discussions with political parties and State-owned enterprises in its bid to overcome the shortage.

While EC had imposed a restriction on members of political parties from working as electoral officials at past elections, the restriction has been removed for the elections on April 4.

Shareef said that the EC would distribute electoral officials in a manner which would prevent any single political party from dominating ballot boxes.

EC has also increase the allowance for electoral officials in face of its current challenge.

ALLOWANCE FOR ELECTORAL OFFICIALS:

• In-charges of polling stations: MVR 1,800
• Assistants to in-charges of polling stations: MVR 1,600
• Electoral officials: MVR 1,500
• Ballot counters: MVR 1,200
• Reserve electoral officials: MVR 500

Applications for electoral officials remains open.

It will remain open until the commission is able to meet its requirement for electoral officials, said Shareef.