High Court registers case challenging Dh. Meedhoo vote recount

The High Court has registered the case filed by ruling People’s National Congress (PNC)’s candidate who lost the seat of the president of the Dh. Meedhoo Council in a recount of the recent elections.

The local council elections took place on April 4.

The preliminary results initially released by the Elections Commission (EC) showed PNC’s Suha Ibrahim secured 393 votes for Meedhoo presidency, while Maldives Development Alliance (MDA)’s Mohamed Shahid trailed behind by just one vote with 392 votes.

But the MDA lodged a case with the EC after it was uncovered that an ineligible voter had cast their ballot at a polling station in L. Fonadhoo. PNC also asked for a recount over the issue.

The members of EC’s complaints bureau unanimously agreed that the ballot in question was invalid, and decided to omit it from the vote count.

The EC conducted a recount, and announced MDA’s Shahid won the election by a margin of one vote.

Suha filed an appeal with the High Court over the issue last week.

The court has now registered the case, and is expected to begin hearings next week.

Elections Act grants the right to appeal elections results with the High Court within 14 days of announcement of official results.

The EC announced the official results for Meedhoo on April 16, declaring that Shahid secured 392 votes, Suha 391 votes, and independent candidate Ibrahim Naseem 100 votes.