July 10, 2007

Elections Commissioner K D Ahmed Maniku has announced today that the referendum to decide the system of government will be held on Saturday 18 August. The People's Special Majlis has passed a resolution on 18 June 2006 to hold a referendum to determine whether the country will have a presidential system or parliamentary system when the constitution is amended. Voting will be held from 7 in the morning to 7 in the evening in all inhabited islands and industrial islands. There are 125,000 eligible voters including 24,000 young voters between 18 and 21.

The Majlis has gone through a long and heated debate to decide the details of the referendum. They included whether the referendum will be held under the constitution or under the provisions of the rules of procedure of the Special Majis and whether to reduce voting age to 18 and a comprehensive regulation on how to conduct the referendum.

Special Majlis finally decided to reduce the voting age to 18 and to hold the referendum under the provisions of the rules of procedure of the Majlis. Majlis on 25 June passed a detailed report including information on the two systems and a regulation to be followed in the referendum. Majlis also decided to arrange counting of votes in the islands they are taken while members of the Special Majlis, members of political parties and observers would be allowed to observe the voting. The Report decided to hold the referendum within 60 days through the Elections Commissioner under the supervision of the Special Majlis.

Commissioner Maniku has said that the referendum will be held freely and fairly and he has invited observers from SAARC, Commonwealth, European Union and Maldives Human Rights Commission to observe the referendum. Political parties have already started their campaigning for the referendum. Ruling Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party, DRP is supporting presidential system while opposition MDP and PA are in favour of a parliamentary system. DRP Leader President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom has announced in a party general meeting on 28 June that he will be running for presidency in 2008 indicating that there will be an overwhelming support for the presidential system. But opposition MDP and PA are campaigning hard for a parliamentary system and say they are absolutely sure that the people would want a change and there will be a landslide victory for the parliamentary system

-- Miadhu