Maldives' electoral watchdog Wednesday again extended the deadline for candidacies for the upcoming local council elections, after postponing the delayed elections.
The civil court had postponed the council polls originally slated for January 14 by two months.
Ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) filed the case seeking to delay the upcoming council polls by two months citing that the ongoing rift within the party had impeded its preparations for the elections slated for January 14.
Elections commission had announced its decision to hold the court delayed local council elections on April 8.
However, during a press conference on Wednesday, the elections commission said the council polls would now be held on April 15.
After delaying the date for the elections, the deadline to submit candidacies has now been extended until February 20, the commission said in an announcement.
Elections commission the decision was made as most of the election officials were teachers and education sector staff, April 8 was inconvenient.
The commission said all political parties and the elections advisory committee had no objections to the new date.
