AG Usham: Two elections were never meant to be held far apart

The Presidential Election and the Parliamentary Election were never meant to he held far apart, and it was also never the intention when the new Constitution was formulated, says Attorney General Ahmed Usham.

On Monday, the Parliament’s Independent Institutions Committee summoned officials from the EC and the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) to discuss the constitutional amendment submitted by the government to combine the two elections.

Speaking at the meeting, Usham said that the government proposed combining the two elections because they believe it to be in the best interest of the people.

But it will be the people who ultimately decide what they want, he said.

The Parliamentary Election is currently held around six months after the President takes office.

But Usham said that the two elections were never meant to be held far apart.

Usham said that the new Constitution enacted in 2008 stipulated that the inaugural Parliament should be enacted by March 1 – meaning around two to three months after the President takes office.

“Therefore, it was never the intention when the Constitution was amended two have the two elections far apart. I therefore believe this amendment will be beneficial,” he said.

The ruling People’s National Congress (PNC) is pushing to have the referendum on combining the two elections held along with the Local Council Election – which is scheduled for April 4.

At the meeting, Elections Commission (EC)’s chairman Mohamed Zahid said the constitutional amendment must be in force by February 18 in order for that to be possible.

He also said that it will cost around MVR 20 million to hold the referendum on the same day, and around MVR 80 million to hold it separately.