EC accepts 1,040 council candidacy forms, rejects 236

The Election Commission (EC) has accepted 1,040 candidacy forms for the upcoming local council elections, while 236 forms were rejected.

The figures were released Tuesday, based on submissions received up to 23:00 on Monday. According to the EC, 133 forms were resubmitted following initial rejection.

For the Women’s Development Committee (WDC) elections, 817 applications have been accepted, while 161 candidacies were rejected. Of these, 86 forms were resubmitted.

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— Elections Commission (@ElectionsMv) January 27, 2026

The deadline to submit candidacy forms for the council elections is 12 midnight on Sunday.

Meanwhile, the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has raised concerns over the short window provided by the EC to submit applications. On Saturday, the party urged the Commission to allow manual or bulk submission of candidacy forms.

Candidates contesting the April 4 elections must apply through the EC’s official portal.