Male, 22 April  - In a resounding victory, the People's National Congress (PNC) led by Maldives President Mohammed Muizzu has secured a two-thirds majority in the parliamentary elections held on Sunday, winning more than 60 seats, according to media reports. The elections, held to elect MPs for 93 constituencies, are of significant importance for President Muizzu, whose policies are under scrutiny as India and China vie for influence in the Maldives.

According to the Election Commission (EC), as of 5:00 pm local time, 207,693 people cast their votes, representing a voter turnout of 72.96 percent. Among the voters, 104,826 were men and 102,867 were women. A total of 284,663 people were eligible to vote. Ballot boxes were reportedly placed for voting outside the Maldives in locations such as Thiruvananthapuram in India, Colombo in Sri Lanka, and Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia.

The parliamentary elections featured 368 candidates from six parties. These parties included Muizzu's People's National Congress (PNC), the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), and 130 independent candidates.

Preliminary results indicate that the PNC, under Muizzu's leadership, has secured more than 60 seats in the 93-member People's Majlis, almost a two-thirds majority. The trends show the PNC winning 67 seats, followed by the MDP with 12 seats, while independent candidates have won 10 seats. The remaining seats have been distributed among other parties.