MDP moves to court to block referendum on merging elections

The Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has decided to seek court intervention to stop a referendum on whether the current parliamentary term should be shortened and parliamentary elections held on the same date as the presidential election.

Parliament has passed a government-sponsored constitutional amendment to shorten the five-year term of the 20th Parliament to end on 1 December and to hold presidential and parliamentary elections together. Under the Constitution, the amendment requires approval through a referendum before it can take effect.

President Mohamed Muizzu issued a resolution on 16 February to hold the referendum alongside the local council elections scheduled for 4 April.

Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Kendhoo MP Mauroof Zakir, spokesperson for the MDP task force formed to raise public awareness, said the party would file the case in court on the same day.

He said the party would ask the court to declare unconstitutional the resolution issued by the president to hold a referendum on combining the two elections. He added that the party would also seek an interim order to suspend the referendum until the court delivers a ruling.

“Before a decision is taken on the resolution, an interim order should be issued to stop the voting. Otherwise, there is a fear that the people of the Maldives will suffer irreparable harm,” Mauroof said.

He said the party would also carry out activities to oppose the referendum and to inform the public. The MDP’s national assembly has decided to oppose the referendum and has established a special task force to carry out related activities.

The government has said the constitutional amendment would reduce state expenditure by MVR 80 million.

Under the amendment, the presidential election scheduled for 2028 and the parliamentary election scheduled for 2029 would be held on the same date. The current 20th Parliament began its term on 28 May 2024 and, under the existing Constitution, its five-year term ends in May 2029. The amendment proposes that future parliamentary terms begin on 1 December for a period of five years, after which Parliament would be dissolved.