MDP: Candidates should be happy with high re-registration requests

The main ruling MDP says that the high number of voter re-registration requests for the second round of voting in the presidential election should be something that candidates are happy about, rather than worried.

Re-registration for the second round of voting in the presidential election opened at 03:00 pm on Friday, and will continue until 03:00 pm on Sunday.

According to the EC, 25,493 voters applied for re-registration within the first two days.

The opposition PPM-PNC coalition’s presidential candidate, Dr. Mohamed Muizzu it is highly questionable that 25,000 people would have requested re-registration in just two days.

Muizzu said that it must be seriously looked into, by all political parties, international monitors, observers, and other concerned bodies.

In response, MDP’s spokesperson Anas Abdul Sattar posted on X on Sunday that the fact that so many people wish to exercise their right to vote isn’t something that should worry the candidates contesting the election.

“This is something that must be encouraged. They should be happy that people are exercising their right,” he said.

Anas said that many people, including MDP supporters, had been unable to vote in the first round.

282,395 people were eligible to vote in in the first round of voting – held on September 9. With 408 more people who will become 18 by September 30, total 282,803 people are eligible to vote in the runoff.

The voter turnout in the first round on September 9 had been 79 percent – the lowest turnout in a presidential election.