Former Attorney General Uza Fathimath Dhiyana Saeed has stated that the proposed public referendum on holding presidential and parliamentary elections on the same day is intended to create an opportunity to establish a more accountable parliament.

Responding to a social media post claiming that the proposal is a tactic to distance leaders from the public, Uza Dhiyana rejected the assertion, saying she found it difficult to accept such an argument.

She explained that governance in the Maldives has, over time, decentralised powers through the Constitution and laws, with elected councils granted expanded authority to serve communities more effectively. Additionally, various mechanisms have been established to ensure that public concerns can be heard promptly.

Uza Dhiyana noted that the central issue at present is the inability of the current electoral system to produce a parliament that effectively represents public interests and holds the Government accountable.

She added that the referendum scheduled for 4 April seeks to address this issue by exploring the possibility of aligning the two elections.

Uza Dhiyana further alleged that the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) is spreading baseless claims regarding the proposed referendum and the concept of synchronising the elections.