Local Councils and Women’s Committees Begin Five-Year Term Across Maldives

Newly elected local council members and representatives of Women’s Development Committees (WDCs) across the Maldives have officially taken office, marking the start of their fifth legislative term. The Local Government Authority (LGA) confirmed that swearing-in ceremonies and the signing of official declarations commenced Sunday morning across the archipelago. Coordinated by the LGA, the process began at 9:00 a.m. with simultaneous ceremonies on various islands. Judges and magistrates administered the oaths of office to the incoming representatives. Following these proceedings, members of the nation's five city councils took their oaths, while their respective WDC members signed the necessary official declarations to formalize their roles. According to the LGA, the election process reached near-total completion prior to the inauguration. Out of 678 required councillor positions, 677 were filled, with 676 members formally taking their oaths on Sunday. Administrative arrangements for the remaining officials are expected to be finalized shortly. Similarly, 673 members were elected to the Women’s Development Committees, with 662 successfully inaugurated during the Sunday sessions. With the oaths administered, the local councils will now convene to elect deputy mayors and council vice presidents. The WDCs will follow a similar process to elect their own vice presidents. These elections are the final step in launching the five-year term for these governing bodies. Established under the Decentralisation Act following the first inaugural ceremonies on February 26, 2011, these councils and committees are legally mandated to strengthen decentralized governance. By shifting decision-making power from the central government to the islands, these bodies aim to improve service delivery and community representation across the atolls.