Source: Minivan News
By Emily Reed in Malé
September 16, 2008
The first round of the country's first multiparty presidential elections will be held before the constitutional deadline, the Elections Commission has confirmed, but the second will be outside the date.
An official from the Elections Commission told Minivan News that an exact date will be announced on Tuesday evening, but said the first round would "definitely" be before 10 October.
It is likely the date is now expected to be around the 9th October, according to previous statements.
It comes after the presidential elections bill was passed in parliament, the second of the two bills required before finalisation of an election date. The first of the essential bills, the electoral bill, was passed on Monday.
A total of 32 MPs out of 42 voted for the bill at the session of Tuesday morning, after 6 out of 16 proposed amendments were accepted. The bill is expected to be ratified by the president within hours.
But elections commision spokesperson Mohamed Tholal said he does not think the second round - required if no candidate gains a majority - could also be held before deadline, and it is unclear what will happen in this scenario.
Nasheed has warned of a “legal void” if elections are not held by October 10, as no institution has the power to declare a new date.
The Election Commission has said it needs at least 23 days to complete necessary proceedings for the polls, which means the Presidential Election Bill was passed just in time for elections to be held before the 10 October deadline.
The commission first announced the nation’s first multi-party election could feasibly be held by 4 October if pre-election bills passed in parliament last week.
This would have allowed for the second round to be held before the deadline as well.
Seven candidates are competing against incumbent President Maumoon Abul Gayoom, who is seeking a seventh term in office after 30 years of power.
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