President of the Elections Commission, Mohamed Zahid, has resigned from his position, Chief government spokesperson Mohamed Hussain Shareef has confirmed.

No reason was given for Zahid’s resignation. He was first appointed to the commission in January 2019 and later became its president on February 17.

Under recent amendments to the Elections Commission Act, the appointment of the commission’s president and vice president requires parliamentary approval.

Zahid’s resignation comes amid criticism regarding the arrangements for the local council elections and a recent referendum.