Transparency Maldives has stated that the opening of polls for the Parliamentary Election 2019 was smooth and added that the administrative preparation of voting was well.

In a press release issued on Saturday, Transparency noted that they had 350 observers and volunteers deployed across the country and abroad. Their observer network has a wide national coverage spanning Malé and the atolls, resorts, industrial islands and prisons, as well as abroad in Colombo, Sri Lanka and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Transparency highlighted that the materials required for voting were present and the ballot papers were counted at 99% of the polling stations. 99% of ballot boxes were verified as empty at the opening of the polls.

“Observers concluded that the polling stations were set up to ensure a secret vote in 99% of polling stations. Transparency Maldives observers will be closely monitoring the 1% of the polling station where the secrecy of the ballot may be compromised due to the layout of the polling station,” the press statement read.

Transparency Maldives also noted that police presence was visible outside of 81% of the observed polling stations at the time of opening.

They encouraged all parties to maintain the climate of peace and the public to go out and vote.