President proposes referendum on structure of Addu city council
The President said the referendum would ask voters to choose between maintaining the current city-wide council or establishing separate councils for islands.
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President Mohamed Muizzu has proposed holding a referendum in Addu to decide whether the city should continue with a single city council or form separate councils for individual islands.
Speaking on the President’s Office’s Rayyithunna Eku podcast on Wednesday, Muizzu said residents of Addu had raised concerns about the composition of the existing council. Currently, Addu is governed under one city council, but Hulhudhoo and Meedhoo have previously called for separate island councils.
The President said the referendum would ask voters to choose between maintaining the current city-wide council or establishing separate councils for individual islands. He also noted that Hithadhoo, with a population of around 15,000, is large enough to form its own council.
Muizzu signed the Referendum Act on Tuesday. The law allows for referendums to be held on issues specific to a particular region following parliamentary consideration. The proposed vote in Addu will be the first held under the new legislation.
The Elections Commission is preparing to hold council elections in April next year.
