Extraordinary sitting on Thursday to debate post-Ramadan polls bill
The amendment to avoid elections during Ramadan was proposed by Ihavandhoo MP Mohammed Shifau.
Another extraordinary sitting of the parliament is set for Thursday to debate on a bill submitted to postpone the parliamentary elections, which is currently scheduled to be held during the fasting month of Ramadan.
This sitting of the parliament will be held on Thursday, the speaker announced on Monday having concluded the vote on the approval of the ministers.
Opposition main party MDP's Velidhoo constituency member and parliamentary group spokesperson Mohamed Abdullah Shafeeg said Thursday's session will discuss the amendment to the General Election Act to prevent any elections from being held during the month of Ramadan.
The Election Commission has fixed March 17 for the parliamentary elections. It falls on the seventh day of the month of Ramadan. Some public as well as political parties have expressed concern over the election being held during the month of Ramadan.
With those concerns, the amendment to the law proposed by Ihavandhoo MP Mohammed Shifau states:
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Although the law says otherwise, no elections shall be held during the month of Ramadan
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If the date of the election coincides with a day in the month of Ramadan, the election shall be held 10 days after the end of the month of Ramadan
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The register of eligible voters shall be made public 45 days prior to an election
The bill was first read in the parliament on Sunday. The amendment will be put to the vote after the parliament debates it in the next session.
The Election Commission has said that the election should be held during Ramadan because of the dates and occasions that coincided with it. There is no way to avoid the parliamentary elections during the month of Ramadan unless the law is changed, the commission had said.
The opposition MDP has accused the Election Commission of being influenced by the government to hold the parliamentary elections early in the month of Ramadan.
The MDP and former President Abdullah Yameen have also expressed concern over the date of the polls and asked the EC to postpone the polls until after Ramadan.
