President rejects legislature to postpone Majlis election

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has rejected legislature passed by the Parliament seeking to postpone the upcoming parliamentary elections to after Ramadan.

A top government spokesperson told Sun that the president rejected the bill because changing the election date would result in “loss of public trust.”

He said the decision was based on five factors. Which is:

• Because the bill requires the publication of national ID card numbers when the voter’s list is published on the Government Gazette, which the administration considers private information.
• The lack of details on the appointment or qualification of “focal points” who must be arranged by the Elections Commission and charged with significant responsibilities under the bill.
• With reference to Article 79 (b) of the constitution, which states that all election-related matters must be completed 30 days before the term of the incumbent parliamentary assembly expires. The administration believes the bill opens room to finish all election-related matters ahead of the time stipulated in the constitution, making the provision unconstitutional.
• Article 75 of the constitution stipulates that parliamentarians must act in the best interest of the nation. But the administration believes there is grounds to believe that some of the parliamentarians, who are running for re-election, are acting in their own interest in changing the election date.
• Because altering the Elections Act and changing the election date would result in loss of public confidence in the election

MDP: There’s still room for post-Ramadan Majlis elections

The decision came after Ahmed Easa, the manager for the main opposition MDP’s parliamentary elections campaign, said there was still an opportunity to postpone the upcoming elections, to after Ramadan.

The decision comes after Ahmed Easa, the manager for the main opposition MDP’s parliamentary elections campaign, said there was still an opportunity to postpone the upcoming elections, to after Ramadan.

In a press briefing on Monday morning, Easa, who serves as the parliamentary representative for Kendhikulhudhoo, reiterated MDP’s assertion, that the vast majority of the public want the elections to be held after Ramadan.

He said that Ramadan is a hard month to hold political activities, and that a low voter turnout is of great concern to political parties.

The parliamentary elections is scheduled for March 17th – which falls within the first week of Ramadan.

The Elections Commission (EC) had pushed for legal reforms to hold the elections ahead of Ramadan, as the Elections Act requires the commission to initiate the process of holding the elections, at least 120 days before the end of the term of the incumbent parliamentary assembly – which is May 28th.

Holding the elections before or ahead of Ramadan, required legal amendments.

The Parliament – which MDP holds a majority in – rejected EC’s request to hold the elections ahead of Ramadan, opting instead to have the elections held after the holy month.

An MDP-sponsored bill banning national elections during Ramadan passed with a majority vote of 46 to 3, on February 11th.

According to the new bill, if an election date falls within Ramadan, it must be held 10 days after Ramadan ends.

The president had until Wednesday, to either ratify or reject the bill.

But on Monday afternoon, within hours after MDP's press briefing, the President's Office announced that President Muizzu had rejected the legislature, and sent it back to the Parliament.

The MDP 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.