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Read our full statement in Dhivehi
17 October 2025
The public referendum, scheduled for October 25, 2025, in Addu City to determine the jurisdictional composition of the City Council, has been rushed, raising concerns about fairness, transparency, and inclusive participation. The referendum is called under the Public Referendum Act (Law No. 15/2025) ratified on 16 September 2025, involves registered voters from Hulhudhoo, Meedhoo, and Feydhoo constituencies. The referendum, announced on October 6, 2025, and amended on October 12, 2025, offers inadequate time for public awareness, impeding informed decision-making.
This referendum carries significant implications for the governance and administrative structure of Addu City as any change to the composition of the current council would impact local representation, resource allocation, fiscal arrangements and delivery of essential services to the residents of Addu. It will also have a direct bearing on the broader framework of decentralization and local governance in the Maldives. Given its importance, the process must be transparent, inclusive, fair, allowing sufficient time for public awareness and participation through broad consultations, accessible information, and robust debate to ensure voters make free, well-informed decisions.
We note with concern the hastened process of this referendum. The period between the announcement of the referendum and the voting date of merely 19 days does not provide sufficient time for citizens to be adequately informed about the rationale for the referendum, the proposed changes, and the potential long-term consequences. We also reiterate our concern regarding the inadequate timeframes stipulated under the Public Referendum Act, particularly the broad discretion granted to shorten the interval between the announcement and the vote for referendums called by the President within a specific jurisdiction, as provided under Section 19 (b) of the Act.
We also express concerns regarding the restriction of voting to certain constituencies of Addu City. Although the result of the public referendum would have far reaching implications on the governance and administration of the whole of Addu City, the decision and the lack of rationale to exclude residents from the constituencies of Hithadhoo, Maradhoo and Maradhoo Feydhoo raises serious questions on the lack of fairness, inclusion and a meaningful consultative process with affected communities. We also note with concern that with vote boxes being kept only in the cities of Addu and Male’ further creates exclusion as the voting process becomes inaccessible to a large portion of eligible voters who reside in other atolls, resorts and foreign countries.
The right to vote and meaningfully participate in decisions affecting the daily lives are fundamental principles of democracy, We call on authorities to uphold the fundamental principles of democracy allowing citizens with adequate time, accessible information, and equal opportunity for meaningful participation. Anything less severely undermines the legitimacy of this referendum.
– ENDS-
- Transparency Maldives (TM)
- Project ThimaaVeshi (PTV)
- Maldives Local Councils’ Association (MLCA)
- Zero Waste Maldives