The Elections Commission of the Maldives (ECM) has initiated the assignment of ballot numbers for the candidates participating in the Parliamentary Election 2024.
This process of assigning ballot numbers will continue until 1800hrs on February 16, as per ECM's announcement. A total of 381 individuals submitted their applications to compete in the upcoming parliamentary elections during the application period from January 30 to February 14. Notably, four candidates opted to withdraw their nominations before the draw.
Candidates who have not withdrawn their nominations will undergo the drawing process, with their assigned numbers subsequently disclosed in order. ECM will release the draw times for individual constituencies in the gazette.
Ismail Habeeb, Vice-President of ECM, shared that only 10.76% of the candidates are women. Furthermore, he noted that the candidacies of nine individuals were rejected due to failure to meet the specified requirements.
Initially scheduled for March 17, ECM decided to adjust the parliamentary election date to accommodate the month of Ramadan. If the election falls during Ramadan, it will be held 10 days after Ramadan concludes. Any changes to the election date will be contingent on approval from the President.