Elections Commission of the Maldives (ECM) has assigned numbers for the candidates running in the March 26 by-elections.
ECM will be holding a by-election for the seat of the president of Kurendhoo Island Council, and by-elections for the women's development committees (WDCs) in Nilandhoo, Faafu Atoll, and Meedhoo, Dhaalu Atoll.
Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) candidate Ali Naseem and Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) candidate Ismail Madheeh will be running in the Kurendhoo by-election. The by-election was scheduled after Ibrahim Shimaau, a member of MDP, resigned as president of the council.
Furthermore, five candidates will be running in the Milandhoo WDC by-election, including a PPM candidate, a candidate of Maldives National Party (MNP), and three independent candidates. Four candidates will be running in the Meedhoo WDC by-election, including candidates from MDP, PPM, and MNP, and an independent candidate.
ECM is currently seeking monitors and observers for the by-elections.