The ad hoc committee has successfully passed amendments to the General Elections Act, incorporating the proposed changes.
Parliamentarian Mohamed Shifau submitted the bill to the parliament, leading to the formation of an ad hoc committee to review its contents.
According to the amendments, elections are prohibited on any day during Ramadan, irrespective of the provisions outlined in the General Elections Act or any other legislation. If an election coincides with a day of Ramadan, it is mandated to take place ten days after the conclusion of Ramadan.
Furthermore, the amendment stipulates that a vote will be considered valid even if the ballot paper contains a mark considered to be next to a candidate's name. The vote will not be invalidated even if a correct mark is highlighted to complete the mark.
The ad hoc committee, responsible for assessing the proposed amendment to the General Elections Act, has decided to incorporate certain changes into the bill, including adjustments suggested by the Election Commission of Maldives (ECM). One proposed amendment involves publishing the voters register on the ECM website 45 days prior to an election. Additionally, it is recommended to criminalise the display of ballot papers, with penalties for such offenses.
The ECM proposed amendment establishes the act of showing ballot papers during an election as an offense, punishable by imprisonment for one to three months or a fine ranging from MVR6000 to MVR18000.
The unanimous approval of the bill by the five-member ad hoc committee signifies its endorsement. This year's parliamentary elections align with the month of Ramadan, prompting the ECM to schedule the election for March 17.