The ruling People's National Congress (PNC) candidate Suha Ibrahim secured a decisive victory today in the re-run for the presidency of the Dhaalu Meedhoo Island Council, following a tie in the previous round of voting.
According to the provisional results released by the Elections Commission (EC), Suha received 529 votes, while her opponent, Maldives Development Alliance (MDA) candidate Mohamed Shahid, garnered 449 votes. With this result, the PNC has successfully secured all seats on the Meedhoo Council.
The second round of voting for the council presidency was mandated after a High Court ruling led to a recount, which resulted in a deadlock between Suha and Shahid.
In the first round of voting held last April, the race for the Meedhoo Council presidency featured Suha, Shahid, and independent candidate Ibrahim Naseem.
Following the first count of the constituency's ballot boxes, Suha had received 393 votes, Shahid 392 votes, and Naseem 100 votes.
One of Suha's votes was invalidated after it was proven that an individual ineligible to vote had cast a ballot in the box stationed at Laamu Fonadhoo. A recount of that ballot box initially swung the result in Shahid’s favor by a single vote.
However, Suha contested the decision at the High Court, alleging that two of her ballots had been wrongfully invalidated. The court ultimately ruled that one of the invalidated ballots was valid, resulting in the tie.
