Elections Commission of the Maldives (ECM) has stated that a maximum of 600 boxes will be allowed for each ballot box in the parliamentary election.
Vice President of ECM Ismail Habeeb addressed concerns that the voter turnout would be low as the parliamentary election coincides with the month of Ramadan. He said ECM will facilitate convenient voting methods and engage in other initiatives to increase the turnout. He noted that 70% of the population generally votes in the parliamentary elections.
Additionally, Vice President Habeeb said that 1,000 to 1,200 voters cast their ballot in each box in the last parliamentary election, but that ECM has decided to limit the number to 600 per box in the upcoming election. He said the change would enable people to vote without having to wait in queues and expedite vote counting, with each box expected to be counted within an hour.
ECM has scheduled the parliamentary elections for March 17, during the month of Ramadan, as there would have been administrative challenges if the election was scheduled for a later date. The electoral body noted that the last 10 days of Ramadan has been declared as public holidays, which would cause challenges in coordinating with government ministries and state agencies if the election was scheduled after the fasting month.