The Election Commission (EC) has revealed that it has decided to announce the city councils’ constituencies for the upcoming local council election and to open for reporting any complaints on the matter tomorrow.
EC has shared the report that is prepared in relation to the city councils’ constituencies in today’s meeting of the National Advisory Committee for the Councils’ Elections that comprised of members from the political parties, relevant authorities, and NGOs.
In today’s meeting EC’s Vice President Ahmed Akram said that even though EC has decided the city councils’ constituencies, it will be finalised only after opening for complaints to the report and based on the complaints. Hence, it will be open to complaints tomorrow.
City Councils’ constituencies have increased after the ratification of Amendments to the Decentralization Act. As the case previously, each constituency of the city councils will elect a councillor. However, a mayor for the city councils will be elected by the citizen of the whole city.
As per the current Constitution of Maldives, there are 18 constituencies in the Male’ City Council. In the EC’s report, Villimale’ and Hulhumale are considered as two separate constituencies. The rest of 16 constituencies are decided based on six wards of Male’ and three constituencies for each ward.
From Male’ City Council 6 seats are reserved for women since the new Decentralization Act mandates 33% of the councils’ seats to be designated for women. Hence, it has been decided that one seat from each ward of Male’ to be designated for women.
EC has decided that there will be 12 constituencies in Addu City Council. That is five constituencies from Hithadhoo, three from Hulhumeedho, two from Feydhoo, two from Maradhoo and one from Maradhoofeydhoo. In this city, seats designated for women are; one from Hithadhoo, one from Feydhoo, one from Hulhumeedhoo, one from Maradhoo and Maradhoofeydhoo’s seat.
For Fuvahmulah City EC has decided 6 constituencies. It has decided these constituencies based on the two wards of Fuvahmulah and considering one constituency for each ward. A seat will be designated for women in one constituency from each ward.
According to the constitution, the seats designated for women from city councils will be decided after a draw taken among constituencies of the respective city. EC further said that it has decided to take draws among separate wards or the islands instead of taking a draw on all constituencies together, to keep an equal number of seats from each ward.
It has been decided to elect 980 councillors in the upcoming local councils' election that will be held on April 3, 2020. Among these, 39 councillors will be elected for city councils.
EC's VP Akram and Member Fuad in the National Advisory Committee for the Councils’ Elections
