The Elections Commission of the Maldives (ECM) has stated that 75% of eligible voters cast their ballots in the recent parliamentary election held on April 21.
Speaking to PSM News, Member of ECM Hassan Zakariyya said that out of a total of 284,663 eligible voters, over 215,000 cast their ballots. He noted that while the turnout was significant, it marked a decrease compared to the turnout in the last presidential election, where 85% of eligible voters participated in the second round.
Additionally, Zakariyya highlighted that this parliamentary election saw a lower turnout compared to previous parliamentary elections. In 2009, the turnout was 78%, followed by 77% in 2014 and 81% in 2019.
Furthermore, Zakariyya highlighted the peaceful conduct of this year's parliamentary election, with international observers confirming its legitimacy. He noted that only 15 complaints were received by the ECM during the election, none of which were major. He said that complaints mainly revolved around issues such as missing names on voter lists and minor grievances regarding candidates. He also said that there were no complaints that could have influenced the election results.