Voting has begun across the Maldives as it chooses its parliament for the next five years. Voting began at 08:00 am across the country and the Elections Commission has confirmed that voting would be closed at 17:30 this evening.
A total of 368 candidates are competing in today's election including 130 independent candidates. Seven political parties have fielded 238 candidates for the election including 326 men and 42 women.
The Elections Commission has placed 602 ballot boxes for this Parliamentary election in the Maldives and three countries where many Maldivians reside.
It has placed 181 ballot boxes in Male' and another 51 in Hulhumale' as well as another 9 in Villimale'.
In the inner islands, the Electoral Watchdog has placed 319 ballot boxes and 34 have been placed in the resorts. The Commission has also placed ballot boxes in five jails in the country.
A total of 284,663 voters are eligible for the Parliamentary Elections.
