PNC wins Kudahuvadhoo Council president seat; MDP gets Gan seat

The Elections Commission (EC) has posted the provisional results of by-elections held to elect a president to the Dh. Kudahuvadhoo Council, and members to two other island councils.

Polling took place in three islands on Friday.

In Kudahuvadhoo, people voted to elect a president to the island’s council.

Meanwhile, the people of L. Gan voted to elect a member to the council, while the people of M. Mulah voted to elect a female member to the island’s council.

The main ruling People’s National Congress (PNC) won the Kudahuvadhoo seat, while the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) won the Gan seat.

The seat in Mulah was won by an independent candidate.

According to provisional results posted by the EC on early Saturday, PNC’s Jadulla Hameed won the Kudahuvadhoo by-election with 826 votes. His rival, MDP’s Abdulla Jameel, got 624 votes.

Meanwhile, MDP’s Afsal Jaufar won the Gan seat with 894 votes. His rival, PNC’s Ali Nasheed, got 644 votes.

In Mulah, independent candidate Reema Hussain won the seat with 336 votes. Her sole rival, PNC’s Mizna Thaufeeq, received 282 votes.

The latest by-elections came after the EC repeatedly expressed concern over the high resignation rate among members of local councils and women’s development committees.

In an earlier interview, EC’s chairman Fuad Thaufeeq said that three to four members resign from women’s development committees each month.

He voiced concern over the huge cost of holding frequent by-elections to replace the members.

In 2022, a bill was submitted to change the law to allow for by-elections for vacancies to be held once a year.

However, the legislature remains stymied in the Parliament.