Cabinet to decide timing of election merger referendum
Usham said the government intends to submit the request to the Elections Commission within the coming week, in line with legal requirements.
Ahmed Usham said on Thursday that the date for the referendum on the constitutional amendment to align presidential and parliamentary elections will be decided after consultation with the Cabinet.
On Wednesday, the People’s Majlis passed an amendment to the Constitution to shorten the term of the current 20th Parliament to 1 December 2028, in order to hold presidential and parliamentary elections on the same date.
Under Article 262 of the Constitution, amendments affecting the duration of Parliament require approval through a public referendum before ratification by the President.
Speaking to Dhauru, the Attorney General said the matter will be presented at the next Cabinet meeting. He said that following Cabinet deliberation, the referendum date will be set and the resolution forwarded to the Elections Commission.
Usham said the government intends to submit the request to the Elections Commission within the coming week, in line with legal requirements.
Earlier, PNC Parliamentary Group Leader Ibrahim Falah said the government was considering holding the referendum alongside the April local council elections.
Responding to questions on this possibility, Usham said discussions have focused on conducting the referendum in a manner that minimises cost to the state. He said the Elections Commission will be consulted to determine the most cost-effective approach.
He said that if combining the referendum with the local council elections is determined to be feasible, the Cabinet will consider the proposal and may decide to proceed accordingly.
Article 19 of the Referendum Act requires that a referendum be held within a minimum of 45 days and a maximum of 90 days from the relevant resolution.
The Elections Commission has scheduled local council elections for 4 April. There are currently 51 days between Thursday and that date. To meet the 45-day requirement, the resolution would need to be submitted by 18 February. The Elections Commission’s parliamentary committee has noted this timeline.
President Mohamed Muizzu and several Cabinet ministers are currently on an official visit to Germany, which is due to conclude on Friday, according to the President’s Office. The next Cabinet meeting is expected to be held early next week.
