Rival candidates for the upcoming presidential election have been prohibited from holding campaign events at the same venue and time.
The Elections Commission (EC) introduced the rule in the 'regulations on the 2023 presidential election' gazetted on Saturday.
The regulations state, "While a candidate or a candidate's party is holding a gathering or a meeting, a candidate of another party or supporters of another candidate must not organise a meeting at the venue to coincide with that time."
The regulations also state that if any persons disrupt a campaign activity, the relevant authorities must be alerted instead of taking action against them.
The owner's permission must be sought to put up any campaign material for this year's election at a private residence or plot of land.
The regulations also prohibit defamation as well as acts of coercion, bribery or intimidation to compel a person to vote for or against a particular candidate.
The presidential election
With 89 days left for September's presidential election, some candidates have announced their intention to run.
President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih will contest on the ticket of the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP). Despite remaining in the governing coalition, the Jumhooree Party decided to contest separately and awarded its ticket to the party's leader Qasim Ibrahim.
Former attorney general Dr. Mohamed Munavvar, former defence Colonel Mohamed Nazim and former home minister Umar Naseer are also contesting in the election.
The Democrats, a new party formed under the leadership of the MDP's president Mohamed Nasheed, has also announced plans to field a presidential candidate.
