Transparency Maldives issued press statements on the opening and closing of polls on 4 April 2026 for the local council elections. Maldives concurrently conducted the Women’s Development Committee elections and Constitutional Referendum.

Transparency Maldives said the Election Day processes were generally transparent while observers noted issues with election administration and preparedness, and procedural discrepancies in closing and counting of ballot boxes.

Transparency Maldives conducted long-term observation from 8 February to 3 April 2026 and published a pre-election legal review. On Election Day, they deployed 31 observers and volunteers in Greater Male’ region and 15 other atolls. The observers were active in 149 polling stations in the Greater Male’ Area, 134 observed through mobile observation across 15 atolls, fully stationed observers observed 15 polling stations.

Transparency Maldives congratulated the Maldivian citizens for their participation in the democratic process and urged all relevant actors, including winning candidates, to “undertake reforms to the electoral system in order to strengthen its integrity and enhance public confidence in the democratic process in the Maldives.”

Read the full opening and closing statements of Transparency Maldives on their observation of the 2026 Maldives Local Council, Women’s Development Committee and Constitutional Referendum Elections here: