An amendment was submitted to the general elections law today to prohibit holding any elections during Ramadan.
The amendment was submitted to Parliament by Ihavandhoo MP Mohamed Shifau. He proposed amending 11 provisions in the general elections law, including a provision for the prohibition of elections during Ramadan.
An amendment proposed to the provision on the voting date and time states that no election should be held on any day during Ramadan. If the election day falls during Ramadan, MP Shifau proposed amending the provision to state that the election must be held 10 days after the month of Ramadan.
The purpose for proposing the amendment as stated by the MP was further ensuring an election with the participation of as many people as possible and taking into consideration the special customs of Maldivians during Ramadan, changes to working hours of state employees and all such related matters.
Amendments to the law to ban elections during Ramadan come amid parties objecting to holding the upcoming parliamentary elections during Ramadan.
Expressing concern, Fisheries Minister Ahmed Shiyam, deputy leader of the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), said yesterday that the date for the election of MPs could still be changed to not coincide with Ramadan.
At a meeting yesterday of the National Advisory Committee formed by the Elections Commission (EC) for the parliamentary elections, Shiyam said the commission decided to hold the election during Ramadan without the approval of any political party. It is still possible to change the current date, he said.
"Parliament can do it. Things are done by holding special sittings and such outside of the session. Therefore, if there is such a big concern of the public over this, we support holding a sitting outside the session and for the day for holding the parliamentary election to be determined in a manner that would be convenient for the public," Shiyam said.
An MP from MDP, which controls a majority of Parliament, told Adhadhu today that the party's parliamentary group held discussions last night on convening a sitting during recess to fast-track postponing the parliamentary elections, approving cabinet ministers and finishing some other tasks.
This year's first session of Parliament is due to begin on February 5. The parliamentary elections are currently scheduled for March 17, which would be the seventh day of Ramadan.
