Election Commissioner of India heads to the Maldives to monitor the Presidential Elections 2023
Shri Arun Goel, the election commissioner, is leading a group of three people to the Maldives at the invitation of the Maldives Election Commission to monitor the conduct of the presidential election in 2023. On September 9, 2023, the election's first round was held. In the running are eight contenders. According to the 2008 Maldivian Constitution, 2008 Election (General) Act, 2008 Presidential Elections Act, and 2008 Presidential Elections Rules and Regulations, the election was conducted.
According to Maldivian election laws, the President is chosen directly by the people in a secret ballot election for a five-year term. First-past-the-post voting is used to elect the president in a direct election with a majority of the vote. The victorious candidate must obtain at least 50% of the total votes cast in one or more rounds. The Chairman, Vice-Chairman, and three more Commissioners make up the Maldives Election Commission. 2,82,395 people are eligible to vote in the presidential election (1,44,199 men and 1,38,196 women). There are 574 polling places (ballot boxes), and each one can hold up to 850 registered voters. Eight of these boxes have been established abroad for Maldivian nationals living abroad.
The delegation, which was headed by Election Commissioner Mr. Arun Goel and included Mr. Ajay Bhadoo, Deputy Election Commissioner, and Mr. Pramod Kumar Sharma, Principal Secretary, visited 22 polling places in Male and Hulhumale. There, they observed the voting process, the system and procedure for voter registration and identification, the arrangements of the polling places, and many other initiatives implemented by the Maldives' EC. The election observation program also included international observers from other nations and organizations.
On September 9, 2023, when the votes were counted, none of the candidates received more than 50% of the total votes cast. The two candidates who received the most votes in the first election will be the only ones allowed to run in the second round of voting, which will take place on September 30, 2023, in accordance with their election laws.