EC preparing to hold Local Council Elections in March

Elections Commission (EC) has announced that preparations are underway to hold the Local Council Elections and Women’s Development Committee Elections – which have been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic – in March 2021.

The Local Council Elections and Women’s Development Committee Elections were originally scheduled to be held in April this year, but were postponed due to the ongoing pandemic. The exact date on which the elections will be held has yet to be finalized.

In an appearance on RaajjeTV’s Fala Suruhee show on Sunday night, Elections Commission member Fuad Thaufeeq said the commission hopes to be able to hold the elections in March.

He said that the commission is engaged in administrative work to hold the elections.

“This includes updating voters’ registry. That is to include those who will reach 18 years of age by March next year. And [to update] the information on those who die during the period and those whose information have changed for various reasons,” he said.

Fuad said the EC is also working making necessary revisions to the budget for the elections in light of the pandemic.

“That is, if three foot distance needs to be observed in queues, we need to make arrangements to accommodate longer queues. This means we may need to increase polling stations. And we may also need to increase the number of desks,” he said.

Fuad said the EC in engaged in planning the preparations, and securing the necessary budget.

Fuad said the preparations are being made under the assumption that the COVID-19 situation will have improved come March, and that the EC will try to proceed with the elections, even if it does not.