V. Thinadhoo Council By-Election Set for Late November After President Loses Seat Over Party Switch
Vaavu Thinadhoo Council President Shujau Ali.
The Elections Commission of Maldives (ECM) will hold a by-election on November 28 to elect a new president of the Thinadhoo City Council after former president Mohamed Shujau lost his seat for switching political parties.
The Local Government Authority (LGA) declared Shujau’s seat vacant after he joined the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), having been elected on The Democrats’ ticket. The LGA said he forfeited his seat under the anti-defection provisions after registering with another party.
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The decision followed the dissolution of The Democrats by the Elections Commission in April this year, after the party failed to meet the legal membership threshold. The LGA’s ruling drew criticism from opposition figures who argue that anti-defection rules should not apply when a party is dissolved.
In an announcement posted today, ECM said that the applications for candidates contesting the vacant seat will close at 2:00 pm on 26 October.
Candidates must submit their applications through the Elections Commission’s online portal, along with the required documents and an administrative fee of MVR 1,500.
Independent candidates must obtain support from 50 eligible voters registered in the constituency, while candidates contesting on a political party’s ticket must submit the party’s endorsement.
