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Former President Mohamed Nasheed has said that reducing the cost of democracy in the name of governance is a step to deteriorate one's own conditions.
The government plans to hold a referendum on April 4, along with the local council elections, to merge the presidential and parliamentary elections.
The question to be put to the public reads:
"Do you approve the ratification of the Eighth Amendment to the Constitution, which provides for the Presidential and People’s Majlis elections to be held concurrently and for a change to the term of the People’s Majlis?"
A campaign team from the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) travelled to Baa Thulhaadhoo on Tuesday (March 17).
Speaking on the island, Nasheed said referendums are held frequently in wealthy countries like Switzerland.
"We have to go to the people from time to time. If we try to reduce the cost of democracy to run the government, it is a step to deteriorate ourselves," Nasheed said.
Nasheed was accompanied by former MDP chairpersons Fayyaz Ismail, Hassan Latheef and Mariya Ahmed Didi. Former Deputy Speaker of the People's Majlis, Eva Abdulla, is also part of the campaign team.
Earlier, Nasheed had called on the government to rethink the referendum.
Nasheed said that any amendment to the Constitution should be broadly discussed with all parties and should not be rushed.
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