Parties concerned about 'reset' in re-registration for each election
The issue was discussed following a complaint filed by the opposition PPM.
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By
Mariyam Umna Ismail
Political parties on Wednesday expressed concern over the burden of re-registering voters in the September 9 presidential election.
According to the Elections Commission (EC):
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The place where a person is registered to vote is reset every five years
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The polling station in the upcoming election will be the island where an individual has their permanent address
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If voting elsewhere, the voter will have to re-register
However, for the 2021 local council elections, EC allowed people to vote in the island where they registered to vote in the 2019 presidential election. It was arranged due to the Covid-related lockdowns.
Almost all the parties that attended the meeting of the National Advisory Committee on the Presidential Election held at the election headquarters in Dharubaaruge Wednesday morning said that many people will have difficulties due to the need to re-register. The issue was discussed following a complaint filed by the opposition PPM.
PPM Vice President Ahmed Shiyam, who attended the meeting on behalf of the party, said it would be difficult to re-register within the required period due to the geography of the country and the lifestyle of the people.
He said if voters are registered to vote in the island of permanent residence, some people may lose their right to vote.
PNC, MDP, Adhaalath and MDA also supported Shiyam's statement, who is also an MP from Naifaru constituency. Party Deputy Chairperson Ibrahim Waheed, who was present on behalf of MDP, cited an example and said that most of the people living in Male have migrated from different islands and they have always lived in Male. Pointing out that there are permanent residents abroad as well, he said the easiest way is to ensure that the registration is not 'reset'.
"I don't think it's necessary to reset to zero at all, especially when we look at the way we live in the Maldives, most of the people who live in Male with their families reside permanently here. So they don't have to start from zero for every election," said Ibrahim Waheed, who is also a minister in the President's Office.
Elections Commission Secretary General Hassan Zakariya said two issues would arise if the registration process was changed as requested by the political parties. That is, he said:
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After the local council elections, many by-elections were held; registration has been reset for each election
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The Elections Commission only keeps the documents that are legally required; All other documents will be destroyed by the commission, so the commission will not know where you voted in the last election
