Two 15-year-olds included in electoral register

It has emerged that the names of two minors have been included in the final electoral register announced by the Elections Commission for Ballot Box 4 in Ihadhdhoo School in Laamu Gan.

Senior Administrative Officer of Gan Council Office, Mohamed Saeed told Sun Online that this issue came to light yesterday.

He said that the name of one 15-year-old was also incorrect in the electoral register.

He explained that Aishath Fathih of Dhunfini Ufaa, Laamu Gan, was included in the register, but there is no one by that name living in Dhunfini Ufaa, and that identity card number for Aishath Fathih included in the register was in fact the identity card number for Ahmed Fathih of Dhunfini Ufaa.

He said that Ahmed Fathih was born in 1998 and thus aged 15.

Saeed said that the second 15-year-old included in the electoral register is Raushan Hussain, of Dhaftharu, Laamu Gan.

He said that this problem came to light when the children’s relatives checked the list published on the gazette.

He said that the date of birth was not included in the list published on the gazette or the notice board of the Council Office, which means that citizens were not able to file complaints.

“In an island with a large population such as Laamu Gan, how would a person know if the name of a person under 18 is included in the list? The date of birth is not included in the list,” he said.

He said that it is not likely that a person under 18 years of age would file a complaint even if he comes to know that his name is on the list, because all groups want more votes for the candidate they support.

Vice President of Elections Commission Ahmed Fayaz Hassan said that people below the age of 18 will not be allowed to vote, even if his name is included in the electoral register.

He said that it can only be checked if a complaint has been filed in this regard by the Gan Council during official working hours.

Fayaz said that every citizen has the right to file complaints to the Complaints Bureau, and anyone who is unsatisfied with the bureau’s reply has the right to file a case to High Court.