Candidacy opens for PNC ticket to contest North Hithadhoo byelection

The People’s National Congress (PNC) has opened candidacy for politicians interested in contesting the upcoming by-election for the North Hithadhoo parliament seat on behalf of the ruling party.

PNC announced on Tuesday that candidacy will remain open until 06:00 pm Sunday.

Interested candidates have been asked to file their candidacy via the PNC’s official website. Candidates are also required to submit their criminal record and debt record and other such documents required by the Elections Commission (EC).

PNC states that if more than one eligible candidate applies, the candidate who the party’s ticket will go to will be decided with a primary.

The party said that candidates contesting the primary must meet the criteria declared on the Parliamentary Elections Act, and must either be a member of the PNC or someone who has applied to become a member of the party.

Meanwhile, individuals listed in the PNC’s membership registry maintained by the EC or who have filed their membership as of April 13 will be eligible to vote in the primary.

According to PNC, the voter’s list will be published on the party’s website on Monday.

Voting in the PNC primary will take place from 09:00 am to 04:00 pm on April 25.

The North Hithadhoo seat was previously filled by Mohamed Sinan, a politician from the PNC who won it in parliamentary elections on April 21, 2024, after beating Mohamed Aslam – a politician from the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) who had held the seat for 20 years.

However, Sinan lost the seat on Sunday, after losing a Supreme Court case filed over a declared debt.

The by-election is scheduled for June 6.