MDP urges EC to review nomination deadline for council elections
MDP said the deadline set by the EC was too short and had created difficulties for candidates.
The Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) on Tuesday called on the Elections Commission (EC) to address difficulties faced in submitting candidature forms within the deadline set for the upcoming local council elections.
Nominations for the 4 April council and Women’s Development Committee elections opened on 17 January and will close on 1 February.
Under the current procedure, candidates must submit their forms through their own eFaas digital identity using a portal established by the EC. Submissions are accepted only during official hours.
The submission hours are from 8:30am to 3:30pm on all days except Friday, and from 3:30pm to 6pm on Fridays.
In a statement issued on social media on Tuesday, the MDP said the deadline set by the EC was too short and had created difficulties for candidates.
The party said state agencies require additional time to clear records and complete required procedures, making it difficult for some candidates to meet the deadline.
The MDP said it was concerned that the current timeframe could prevent many people from contesting the elections and urged the EC to find a solution.
Former MP Mohamed Rasheed Hussain, who has been assisting with the submission of forms for MDP candidates, said the Maldives Correctional Service stopped processing online requests on 22 January.
He said applicants now have to attend offices in person to complete certain procedures.
Rasheed also said the portal does not accept submissions after 3pm on working days.
He said arrangements should be made to allow submissions over longer hours and to make the process easier for candidates.
