Candidates cannot withdraw their candidacy: EC

Elections Commission (EC) has said that the order of the candidates to appear on the ballot papers will stay the same as the September election and that the candidates will not be able to withdraw their candidacy, since the order is already determined.

EC’s Secretary General Asim Abdul Sattar told Sun today, “The Supreme Court annulled the results of the first round election. The candidates cannot withdraw their names once they are arranged [for the ballot paper].”

He said that the commission will neither ask the candidates of the September 7th election to re-file their candidacy, nor open for new candidates to compete in the election.

President Dr Mohamed Waheed, who received 5 percent of votes in the September 7th election, has made no indication of a decision to change his participation in the re-run, Asim said.

He said that if President Waheed decides to recall his candidacy, the commission will make a decision based on consultation with their legal department.

President Waheed’s running mate for the September 7th election, Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) leader Ahmed Thasmeen Ali has announced that he will not join the president for the October 19th election. Thasmeen joined the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) soon after the bitter defeat of the September election.