Supreme Court overturns High Court’s annulment of Kodey island council election

The Supreme Court yesterday overturned the High Court’s annulment of the island council election on the island of Kodey in Gaaf Alif atoll.

Following the local council elections in January, the High Court in February annulled the polls in Kodey and ordered a revote for the five-member island council.

The Elections Commission (EC) subsequently appealed the decision at the Supreme Court.

In its verdict (Dhivehi) – delivered more than six months after the council elections – the apex court, however, ordered a revote to be held among the two fifth-placed candidates and the sixth-placed candidate.

The fifth-placed candidates received 88 votes while the candidate in sixth place received 87 votes.

As the margin between the candidates for the last seat was just one vote, the High Court had annulled the election after it emerged that an elderly Kodey man residing in Dhandhoo had cast his ballot in the wrong box.

Earlier this month, the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives MP Jameel Usman – who represents the Kodey constituency – had expressed concern with the lack of an elected council in the island.

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