The Independent Institutions Committee of Parliament on Sunday approved the postponement of the upcoming parliamentary elections until after next Ramadan. Ramadan 1445 coincides with March 2024.
The Elections Commission (EC) has submitted a proposal to the Independent Institutions Committee to find a solution to the recruitment of officials and campaigning as the parliamentary elections coincides with Ramadan.
The EC proposed two ways to resolve the issue. One option was to shorten the 30-day period given to candidates to campaign to 20 days with the election to be held on March 9, two days before the start of Ramadan.
The second option was to extend the statutory 120-day period to 140 which would allow the election process to start earlier and for the election to be held sooner.
The committee agreed to hold the election after Ramadan instead of before.
Baarashu Member of Parliament (MP) Ahmed Abdulla and Central Henveyru MP Ali Azim said that EC will have 30 days after Ramadan to go ahead with the elections, with the committee unanimously approving to hold elections at the earliest after the month of Ramadan.