Applications have opened for the by-election to fill the seat of Vaavu Thinadhoo Council President Shujau Ali, following a ruling by the Local Government Authority (LGA) that he lost his position for changing political parties during the current council term.
According to the Elections Commission (EC), the by-election is scheduled for November 28. The window for candidate nominations will remain open until 2:00 pm on October 26.
Shujau contested the local council election on a ticket from The Democrats. However, the EC announced on April 11, 2026, that the party was being dissolved due to its failure to maintain the legally required minimum number of members.
Shujau previously told the press that he joined the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) only after being informed that The Democrats had been dissolved.
"I do not believe that joining another party following the dissolution of one's original party should be grounds for losing a council seat," said Shujau, who has also previously served as the President of the Vaavu Atoll Council.
By the time the LGA determined that Shujau had lost his seat, he had already been sidelined from his duties as Council President. Shujau marks the first instance of a local councillor losing their seat for switching parties since the anti-defection laws were implemented.
