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Saturday 04 Apr 2026
LOCAL EDITION
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LOCAL EDITION
131,946 people voted as of 02:00 pm – making for 44.75 percent of total voter population.
This includes 63,175 women and 68,772 men.
Over 55 percent of eligible voters have yet to cast their ballots.
— Elections Commission (@ElectionsMv) April 4, 2026
EC member Hassan Zakariyya told Sun the commission has received several complaints, but none serious enough to suspect voting in any polling station.
Voters complain of the dust inside the heavily packed tent at the Henveiru Stadium, where a large number of ballot boxes are located.
Officials have begun watering the ground to alleviate the situation.
އިންތިޒާމު ހަމަ ބޮޑުތަނުން ސުމެއް! އަހަރެމެން ވޯޓުލާން ދާންޖެހުނު ހެންވޭރު ދަނޑުގައި ހުރި ޓެންޓުގެ ހާލަތަކީ މިއީ! މުޅިތާ ހިރަފުސް! ރޯގާ ނުޖެހިއްޖެއްޔާ ކިތަންމެހާވެސް ރަނގަޅު! https://t.co/ukR1y0O7Ox pic.twitter.com/lJad28Uw5O
— Dhivehi Archives by Naajih Didi (@NaajihDidi) April 4, 2026
There are traffic jams happening outside polling stations in Male’ where a large number of ballot boxes are located. This includes the Henveiru Stadium, located in the busy Majeedhee Magu.
Police report there was a disturbance at a polling station in the GDh. Gadhdhoo School, when a group of people, claiming the layout of the polling station was compromising secrecy of the vote, attempted to make changes to the voting booth.
Police said the disturbance has been resolved, and normalcy has been restored.
Former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom has cast his ballot in the ongoing elections.
Speaking to reporters afterwards, he encouraged everyone to exercise their right to vote freely.
“The Maldives is a democratic nation. Everyone can act within the law. I ask that everyone vote freely,” he said.
EC says that 62,083 people voted as of 12:00 pm – making for 21.05 percent of total voter population.
— Elections Commission (@ElectionsMv) April 4, 2026
Vice President Hussain Mohamed Latheef has cast his ballot.
Transparency Maldives has expressed concern that the lastminute changes to voting procedures announced by the EC, specifically on how voters can decline any of the three ballot papers issued, could affect the secrecy of the vote.
Transparency warns lastminute change to voting procedure may impact voter confidentiality https://t.co/oiuin54tKc #Transparency #VoterConfidentiality #MaldivesElections
— sun.mv (@sunbrk) April 4, 2026
EC says that 58,819 people voted as of 11:00 am – making for 19.95 percent of total voter population.
— Elections Commission (@ElectionsMv) April 4, 2026
Inmates vote in prisons.
އޮޕަރޭޝަން އިޚުތިޔާރު 2026: ކަރެކްޝަންސްގެ ޖަލުތަކުގައި "ލޯކަލް ކައުންސިލްތަކާއި އަންހެނުންގެ ތަރައްޤީއަށް މަސައްކަތްކުރާ ކޮމިޓީގެ އިންތިހާބު" އަދި "ރައްޔިތިންގެ ޚިޔާލު ހޯދުމުގެ ޢާންމު ވޯޓު 2026" އަށް ވޯޓުލުން ކުރިއަށް ދަނީ. @ElectionsMv pic.twitter.com/Ug9dmikRTC
— Maldives Correctional Service (@CorrectionsMv) April 4, 2026
Former President Mohamed Nasheed says he is happy to see polling going smoothly, and urged everyone to exercise their right to vote.
“We were able to campaign fairly and peacefully. I am glad to see democracy like this,” he said.
Police say polling is going smoothly, with no incidents so far.
???? ލޯކަލް ކައުންސިލްތަކާއި އަންހެނުންގެ ތަރައްގީއަށް މަސައްކަތްކުރާ ކޮމިޓީތަކުގެ އިންތިހާބު އަދި ރައްޔިތުންގެ ހިޔާލު ހޯދުމުގެ އާންމު ވޯޓުލުން އަމާންކަމާއެކު ކުރިއަށްދާކަން ކަށަވަރު ކުރުމަށްޓަކައި، ގއ. އަތޮޅުގެ ރަށްތަކުގައި ފުލުހުން ދަނީ ހަރަކާތްތެރިވަމުންނެވެ. pic.twitter.com/FsaB8NvgLF
— Maldives Police (@PoliceMv) April 4, 2026
Speaking to reporters after casting his ballot, former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih criticized the government and urged voters to think deeply before casting their ballot.
EC says that 41,162 people voted within the first two hours – making for 13.96 percent of total voter population.
— Elections Commission (@ElectionsMv) April 4, 2026
Speaking to reporters after casting his vote, former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom accused the Elections Commission of failure to properly raise public awareness on the referendum.
He also criticized the design of the ballot papers, calling it too complicated.
“We are all asking to allow as many people to vote as possible. But the Elections Commission has been very irresponsible in this,” he said.
Male’ City Mayor Adam Azim, who is running for re-election on behalf of MDP, has cast his ballot.
PNC’s Male’ mayoral candidate Moosa Ali Jaleel has cast his ballot.
EC announces that polling has begun at all polling stations.
Attorney-at-law and former Kendhoo MP Ali Hussain accuses EC of bowing down to government pressure to influence the referendum.
“You wouldn’t need to ask people who come to vote if they wish to vote or not, otherwise,” he said.
އިލެކްޝަންސް ކަމިޝަނުން ސަރުކާރު ބޭނުންވާ ގޮތަށް ރިފަރެންޑަމްގެ ވޯޓު ގެންދިއުމަށް މަސައްކަތް ކުރާކަން ފާޅުކަން ބޮޑުކޮށް ސާބިތުވެއްޖެ. އެހެން ނޫންނަމަ ވޯޓު ލާން ދާ މީހުންގެ ގާތުން އެ ވޯޓުގައި ބައިވެރިވާން ބޭނުންތޯ ނުވަތަ ނޫންތޯ އަހާކަށް ނުޖެހޭނެ.
— Ali Hussain (@AleeVoice) April 4, 2026
???? ލޯކަލް ކައުންސިލްތަކާއި އަންހެނުންގެ ތަރައްގީއަށް މަސައްކަތްކުރާ ކޮމިޓީތަކުގެ އިންތިހާބު އަދި ރައްޔިތުންގެ ހިޔާލު ހޯދުމުގެ އާންމު ވޯޓުލުން އަމާންކަމާއެކު ކުރިއަށްދާކަން ކަށަވަރު ކުރުމަށްޓަކައި، މާލޭގެ އެކި ސަރަހައްދުތަކުގައި ފުލުހުން ދަނީ ހަރަކާތްތެރިވަމުންނެވެ.
— Maldives Police (@PoliceMv) April 4, 2026
މުޖުތަމައުގެ… pic.twitter.com/i3jkbR9CKe
Polling has begun in 560 out of 588 ballot boxes, according to EC.
މިހާތަނަށް ޖުމްލަ 588 ފޮށީގެ ތެރެއިން 585 ފޮށީގެ ވޯޓުލުން ވަނީ ފެށިފައި.
— Elections Commission (@ElectionsMv) April 4, 2026
ވޯޓުލުން ނުފެށިހުރި މަރުކަޒުތަކަކީ، އެ މަރުކަޒަކަށް ވޯޓުލުން ފެށުމަށް ބޭނުންވާ އާންމުންގެ ދެމީހުން ހާޒިރުނުވާ ތަންތަން.
President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu arrived at the Thaajuddin School at around 08:50 am, to cast his ballots.
Speaking to reporters afterwards, he urged everyone to exercise their right to vote.
The Elections Commission (EC) has decided that voters who choose not to participate in any of the three votes being taken Saturday will not be issued the relevant ballot paper, sparking concern from the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).
“This party is concerned that all voters aren’t being issued ballot papers for all three votes being taken today. This is an attempt to compromise voter confidentiality,” reads a post by MDP on X.
MDP alleges the decision was made by the EC at the behest of the government to intimidate government employees, and violate their right to vote.
މިއަދު ނަގާ 3 ވޯޓުގެ ކަރުދާސް ކޮންމެ މީހަކަށް ދޫނުކުރުމަކީ މި ޕާޓީން ކަންބޮޑުވާ ކަމެއް.
— MDP Secretariat (@MDPSecretariat) April 4, 2026
މިއީ، ވޯޓުގެ ސިއްރުކަން ގެއްލުވައިލުމަށް ކުރާ ކަމެއް.
މި ކަމަކީ، ސަރުކާރު މުވައްޒަފުންނަށް ބިރު ދައްކައި، އެ މީހުންގެ ވޯޓުލުމުގެ ހައްޤަށް ހުރަސްއެޅުމަށް ސަރުކާރުން ބޭނުންވެގެން @ElectionsMv…
MDP has asked the EC to revise this decision.
294,876 people are eligible to vote in Saturday’s elections.
However, the polling stations do not have much of a queue at the moment.
Police have launched Operation Blue Ray to maintain security during the elections.
???? ލޯކަލް ކައުންސިލް އިންތިހާބާއި އަންހެނުންގެ ތަރައްގީއަށް މަސައްކަތްކުރާ ކޮމިޓީގެ އިންތިހާބާއި އާންމު ހިޔާލު ހޯދުމުގެ ވޯޓުގެ ސަލާމަތީ ކަންކަން ބެލެހެއްޓުމަށް ފުލުހުން ކުރިއަށް ގެންދާ " އޮޕަރޭޝަން ބްލޫ ރޭ" ރަސްމީކޮށް ފެށުުން
— Maldives Police (@PoliceMv) April 2, 2026
މިއަދު ހަވީރު އިސްކަންދަރު ބިލްޑިންގގައި ބޭއްވި… pic.twitter.com/zLqvJCXOXX
Polling is in progress without any incident so far.
Voters can check the polling station they are registered to by sending an SMS to:
VR (ID card number) to 1414
Polling has begun in stations across the Maldives at 08:00 am.