Holding elections within a short period of one another remains an issue that requires a long-term solution, President of the Elections Commission of the Maldives (ECM) Mohamed Shakeel has said.
In an interview with PSM News, Shakeel said that, considering both the financial cost and the amount of work involved, conducting elections close together places a significant administrative burden on the electoral system. He added that it is important for lawmakers to give careful consideration to the matter.
Shakeel explained that the Elections Commission, as an executive institution, is obliged to fully comply with the laws enacted by Parliament when conducting elections. He also noted that finding a solution to the issue of holding elections close together would reduce election-related expenditure, allowing those funds to be redirected towards other areas that would benefit the public.
"Hundreds of millions of rufiyaa spent on elections could be saved, and that money could instead be used for other services and priorities that the public needs," Shakeel said.
He further stated that if Parliament amends the Constitution and the relevant laws, elections could be held together. However, he noted that the public has previously decided against combining the presidential and parliamentary elections. In a public vote on the proposal, 148,859 people voted against holding the two elections together.