No major issues or complaints have been noted as of noon with voting underway in today's polls for the 20th People's Majlis, the Elections Commission (EC) has said.
Hassan Zakariyya, EC member and spokesperson, told Adhadhu that minor complaints have been submitted but no major problem has been reported. Complaints submitted to the commission's complaints bureau involved people waiting inside polling stations after voting and shaking hands.
"Nothing major has been noted as a complaint up until now. There have been complaints about showing ballot papers. That is, complaints about ballots put in the box without being folded," Hassan said.
Such complaints have also been few, he said.
The turnout has been high for today's parliamentary elections with more than 70,000 people voting by 11 am.
According to statistics from the EC, the early voters included 29,762 women and 41,187 men, representing 25 percent of eligible voters.
Voting will take place from 8 am to 5:30 pm.
Based on the current trend, the turnout is expected to exceed 80 percent of eligible voters.
The turnout in the first parliamentary elections under the new constitution in 2009 was 78 percent, followed by 78 percent in 2014 and 81 percent in 2019.
MPs will be elected to a total of 93 constituencies in the parliamentary elections, with 368 candidates contesting from parties and as independents.
A total of 602 ballot boxes have been set up for the election with 241 in the Male' area and 34 in resorts. Some 284,663 people are eligible to vote.
