The referendum to decide whether Hulhudhoo, Meedhoo, and Feydhoo should be administratively separated from southernmost Addu City has seen a strikingly low turnout, with only 21 percent of eligible voters casting their ballots by 1pm, according to the Elections Commission (EC).

Voting began at 8am on Saturday but has so far failed to draw significant public participation, despite visible backing from government officials and pro-government parliamentarians who visited Addu City to campaign for the division.

EC figures show that out of the total eligible voters, only 2,097 people had voted by early afternoon, including 1,102 men and 995 women, leaving 7,479 voters yet to cast their ballots. The muted participation suggests a lack of enthusiasm for the proposed administrative split, despite efforts to rally support at both the local and national levels.

Polling will continue until 4pm, with counting scheduled to begin 30 minutes after the close of voting.