On 4 April 2026, the Republic of Maldives will conduct three concurrent electoral events: Local Council Elections, Women’s Development Committee Elections, and a Constitutional Referendum on the Eighth Amendment to the Constitution. This is the most complex electoral day the country has seen since multiparty democracy was introduced in 2008. 294,937 registered voters across 226 constituencies will decide who governs their islands for the next five years — and whether a constitutional amendment that permanently reshapes the structure of national elections should be ratified.
This report is the legal review public-facing pre-election assessment prepared by Transparency Maldives. It documents six confirmed pre-election shortcomings — facts established through primary sources that directly affect the conditions under which voters will cast their ballots — and twelve structural legal concerns that go beyond this election cycle and require legislative reform. It is addressed to state institutions — including those responsible for conducting, overseeing, and initiating these elections — political parties, election observers, civil society, and voters
