State broadcaster removes referendum results after government defeat

Apr 6, 2026, 10:56 AM
Ahmed Shakeeb hosted a podcast with President Mohamed Muizzu. -- Photo: President's Office

Ahmed Shakeeb hosted a podcast with President Mohamed Muizzu. -- Photo: President's Office

The Public Service Media (PSM) has taken down the referendum results page following the government's defeat. 

The state broadcaster did not make any headlines about the election results. But there was one article with the headline "Highest turnout for a council election!". 

"The provisional results show that the ruling PNC won most island council seats and council president positions. The MDP won most city mayoral and city council seats. In the referendum to hold the two elections on the same day, most voters supported holding elections separately," the article read. 

Some information in the article was incorrect, and reported in favor of the government. The PNC did not win most island council seats in Saturday's local council elections. 

While PSM editorial withheld the election results from the public, this is in direct violation of the Public Service Media Act, which states that PSM must not act unfairly to protect political interests.

Meanwhile, multiple employees in the state broadcaster were given last minute promotions ahead of the April 4 elections. 

A confidential source told Adhadhu that two people were promoted to executive director position on Thursday. Three others were promoted to deputy director position and a former assistant manager was promoted to lead the TV production department. 

Sources said PSM Managing Director Ahmed Shakeeb was in charge of awarding the promotions. 

Comments

Read More

Latest News

Muizzu orders projects to be accelerated

President Muizzu has ordered his cabinet to accelerate stalled development projects across the Maldives, citing resolved supply chain issues. He urged officials to work with renewed vigor to meet project timelines and fulfill presidential pledges. This move follows reports of numerous projects coming to a standstill across various islands.

Six members dismissed from Parole Board

President Muizzu dismissed six Parole Board members for unlawfully granting conditional release to an alleged drug kingpin. The Home Minister stated the board miscalculated eligibility and failed to exercise due diligence. Parole proceedings are now suspended, and the government plans to amend the Prisons and Parole Act.

Fraudster serving 109-year sentence transferred to house arrest

Hassan Shifau, sentenced to 109 years for a multi-million dollar fraud and money laundering scheme, has been moved from prison to house arrest. The Maldives Correctional Service cited a medical condition as the reason for the temporary transfer. Shifau must still pay a MVR 7 million fine and compensate victims within one year.

Government reverses parole for Addu drug kingpin

The Maldives government has returned drug kingpin Abdulla Ibrahim to custody after reversing a Parole Board decision for his release. Home Minister Ali Ihusaan ordered a review, citing a failure to meet legal requirements. Ibrahim, sentenced to 25 years for smuggling 98kg of drugs, will now serve the remainder of his prison term.

Former MP ousted over debt appointed Managing Director of AgroNat

Mohamed Sinan, a former MP who lost his seat over an unpaid debt, has been appointed Managing Director of Agro National Corporation. The appointment follows AgroNat’s restructuring as a MIFCO subsidiary. Additionally, MIFCO's Managing Director, Mohamed Anas, has been named Chairperson of the corporation.

Addu Equatorial Hospital purchases items at inflated price

The Anti-Corruption Commission is investigating Addu Equatorial Hospital for purchasing laboratory items for MVR 1.7 million despite a market value of only MVR 34,000. Audit reports show the hospital paid MVR 44.14 per pipette tip, which usually costs less than MVR 1. Officials have been advised to withhold payment due to procurement violations.

Passport shortage unresolved by Immigration deadline

Maldives Immigration missed its deadline to resolve a passport shortage caused by technical issues at its German supplier. While a new shipment has arrived, stock remains low, and officials are prioritizing urgent travel requests. The department expects operations to return to normal by next week.

Newsletter

Get the latest news delivered straight to your inbox