Elections Commission (EC) has decided that interested applicants will be given a 14-day period to submit their candidacy after the public Announcement to invite candidature for the Presidential election is made on July 23rd.

The decision was made after President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih ratified on Thursday the Fourth Amendment Bill to the Presidential Elections Act (Act No. 12/2008). Parliament passed the amendment bill at the 13th sitting of its second session, held on June 19, 2023.

The amendment bill proposes to amend Section 5(d) of the legislation, proposing to extend the presidential candidature filing window from 10 to 14 days.

The Act has now been enacted following its ratification and publication in the Government Gazette.

Timeline of Presidential Elections 2023:

- Announcement of candidate names - 9 August

- Elections campaign period - 10 August - 8 September

- First round of polls - 9 September

- Announcement of temporary poll results - 9 September

- Final results of first round will be announced within 7 days

- Second round of polls (if needed) - 30 September

- Voters registry announcement - 2 May

- Complaints against registry - 2 May - 2 June

- Observers and Monitors application - 25 July - 13 August

- Training for Trainers - 16 July - 13 August

- Officials training programme - 20 - 29 August

- Re-registration period - 16 July - 5 August

- Application as representatives - 10 - 17 August