Health Protection Agency (HPA) has submitted the health and safety guidelines for the local council elections to Elections Commission of the Maldives (ECM) for review.
HPA submitted the guideline to ECM after the Parliament of the Maldives passed the amendment bill to the Special Act on Local Council Elections, allowing the elections to be held even if the State of Public Health Emergency declared in the Maldives is not lifted. The amendment bill states the Director General of Public Health is required to formulate the health and safety guidelines to conduct the elections amid the public health emergency, and must be followed by ECM in carrying out all electoral procedures.
Speaking to PSM News, President of ECM Ahmed Shareef revealed HPA has submitted the health and safety guidelines to ECM for review. Shareef said an emergency meeting of the electoral advisory committee will be held on January 21, where the guideline will be discussed. He said the committee will also finalise decisions on an election date and other important matters related to the elections.
The local council elections were initially scheduled to be held on April 4, 2020. However, following the declaration of the State of Health Emergency in the Maldives on March 12 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the elections had to be postponed.
The Special Act on Local Council Elections, which was ratified by President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih in May 2020, had originally stated that the elections can only be held after health authorities lift the State of Health Emergency and guarantee there is no risk in conducting the elections. However, the government submitted the amendment bill to the Special Act on Local Council Elections earlier this month, in order to facilitate the elections to be held as soon as possible, even if the public health emergency is not lifted.