No candidate can withdraw name after listed and announced, Says EC

None of the candidates for the upcoming by-elections can withdraw their names and cancel candidacy, as their names have been listed for the by-election and already announced, said Fuad Taqfee, the President of the Elections Commission (EC) of the Maldives.

Fuad said that the decision of the EC was on the basis of Section 23 of the Elections Act. The Section says that a candidate may withdraw his or her name and cancel candidacy anytime before the names are listed and announced, implying that it cannot be done once names are listed and announced.

Fuad said that after the names of candidates running for the upcoming by-elections to elect MPs for Thimarafushi Constituency and Kaashidhoo Constituency were listed and announced, Abdul Rasheed, a candidate for Thimarafushi Constituency, requested his name to be taken back. However, Fuad said that the EC had to reject the request in accordance with Section 23.

According to Party Spokesperson Ahmed Mahloof, the Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM) is also pressuring its member Mohamed Waheed Ibrahim, who is contesting for Kaashidhoo seat, to revoke his name.

PPM is requesting Waheed to withdraw his candidacy, in order to allow one candidate from the Alliance of Parties to contest, that one candidate being Abdullah Jabir from the Jumhoory Party. However, reports say that Waheed is refusing to follow party instructions to withdraw candidacy. When called for a comment, Waheed did not pick his phone.

Meanwhile, Dr. Mohamed Saud, senior leader and Council Member of PPM, has today left the party, in protest of PPM leadership’s decision to withdraw its own candidate and support Jumhoory Party candidate for Kaashidhoo seat.