People’s National Congress (PNC) and the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) has once again decided to postpone their parliamentary primaries, pushing the new date to January 27. This marks the second delay in the primaries, which are crucial for the parliamentary elections scheduled for March 17.
Initially planned for December 23, 2023, the PNC primaries were rescheduled to January 20 to avoid clashing with the December school holidays. However, the coalition has opted to defer the primaries once more, now rescheduling it for January 27.
In contrast, the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has set their primaries for February 3.The party has gone ahead to release the names and corresponding numbers of candidates vying for positions in the primaries.
The Elections Commission has officially declared that the parliamentary elections are slated for March 17. Prospective candidates will have a window from January 30 to February 14 to submit their applications for consideration. The shifting timeline of the primaries adds an element of anticipation and speculation to the upcoming political landscape in the Maldives.
