Voting has begun in the much awaited Presidential Election as the country decides its President for the next five years.
Voting began at 08:00 a.m. in the morning as many in the capital Male' waited in queues almost an hour before polling started.
A total of 282,395 people are eligible to vote in this election and the Elections Commission confirms that there are 27,000 new voters in this election.
The Commission has placed 574 ballot boxes across the country with 176 ballot boxes placed in the Greater Male' Area alone. The Commission has also sent 8 ballot boxes to several countries including India, Malaysia, and the United Kingdom.
A total of 8 candidates are competing in this election making it the election with the most Presidential Candidates in the history of the country.
The candidates include sitting President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih representing the MDP coalition, Mayor of Male' City Dr. Mohamed Miuzzu from PNC, MP for Maamigili Constituency Qasim Ibrahim from the Jumhooree Party, MP Colonel Retired Mohamed Nazim from MNP, as well as MP Ilyas Labeeb from the Democrats.
Three independent candidates are also competing in the election including former Home Minister Umar Naseer, leader of MRM Faris Maumoon, and former State Minister Mohamed Zameel.
If no candidate is able to win outright 50 percent in the first round of voting, then the election would be decided in a run-off between the two candidates who received the highest number of votes in the first round.
