The Elections Commission (EC) has announced that the upcoming Local Council Elections and Women’s Development Committee (WDC) Elections are scheduled to take place on March 28, 2026, with candidacy set to open on January 17.
The announcement was made by EC Chairman Mohamed Zahid during an appearance on Public Service Media’s “Raajje Miadhu” talk show on Saturday night. Zahid said that while the date remains tentative, the commission is working to ensure both elections are held as planned.
“We have settled on March 28, 2026, as the tentative date for the Local Council Elections and the Women’s Development Committee Elections,” Zahid stated. “We will work to follow these two dates as planned.”
Preparations Underway
Zahid highlighted that the Local Council and WDC polls are among the most logistically challenging elections to conduct, given their scale and the extensive coordination required across islands and atolls.
He noted that the commission would need around 270 administrative workers for the elections and that recruitment efforts for the taskforce are already underway.
To streamline operations and reduce administrative costs, the EC also plans to digitalize the candidacy process, allowing candidates to submit their applications electronically via the commission’s portal. Zahid described the move as a “key step” toward improving efficiency and cutting down on paperwork.
Estimated Cost and Awareness Campaigns
According to the EC, the upcoming elections are expected to cost between MVR 70 million and MVR 80 million. In preparation, the commission is organizing voter education and awareness sessions across 32 of the most populous islands in 12 atolls.
The sessions — scheduled from November through December — will be conducted in collaboration with independent institutions and non-governmental organizations, focusing on voter participation and educating citizens about the electoral process.
In addition to in-person sessions, the EC plans to expand public awareness through multiple media platforms, ensuring that information about the elections, voting procedures, and deadlines reaches voters nationwide.