Local council elections date set for April 8
Local council elections will be held on April 8, the elections commission has announced. It also set a new deadline for candidacy papers allowing President Abdulla Yameen’s party to field candidates.
09 Jan 2017, 9:00 AM
The Maldives will hold local council elections on April 8, the elections commission announced Sunday. It also set a new deadline for candidacy papers, voiding existing nominations in a move that will allow President Abdulla Yameen’s party to field candidates.
The elections were initially scheduled for January 14, but the civil court delayed the vote by two-months citing the ruling Progressive Party of the Maldives inability to prepare after a leadership dispute threw it into disarray.
The PPM did not make nominations as an extended deadline for candidacy papers expired on December 1.
The announcement of a new voting date came after weeks of mounting pressure from opposition groups. The main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party on Sunday accused the elections commission of “making excuses” to delay the election.
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