Addu referendum: Reregistration deadline extended

Elections Commission (EC) has extended the deadline for reregistration to vote in the referendum on the composition of Addu City Council.

EC has published the list of eligible voters, with the deadline for reregistration set at 18:00pm on Thursday. However, the deadline has now been extended to 18:00pm on Saturday.

Reregistration applications can be submitted via the reregistration portal or via EC’s main portal.  

The referendum is scheduled for October 25, with polling stations in Hulhudhoo, Meedhoo, Feydhoo and Male’.

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’.

According to EC, voters can find out their voting location by sending an SMS to 1414 as follows: VR (Space) NID No, and via the Commission’s website.

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.