Tag: local council elections

Kodey councillors sworn in seven months after election

Three councillors-elect for the island council of Gaaf Alif Kodey took their oaths of office on Thursday (August 21) seven months after the local council elections in January, reports local media.

Independent members Murthala Saleem and Ahmed Ibrahim along with Adhaalath Party member Siyam Mohamed were sworn in by Gaaf Alif Villigili Magistrate Azeem Hassan at a ceremony at the Kodey school.

A fourth councillor-elect, Shan Mohamed, meanwhile informed the Local Government Authority (LGA) that he no longer wished to serve on the council.

Shan told Sun Online that he has moved to Malé since January’s polls and begun practicing law in the capital.

Elections Commission (EC) Director Ahmed Abubakur, however, insisted that Shan must first take the oath of office and then resign if he did not want the seat.

He added that the EC would make a decision once the LGA informs the commission of Shan’s letter.

Earlier this month, the Supreme Court overturned the High Court’s annulment of the Kodey island council election.

In February, the High Court ordered a revote for the five-member island council. The decision was, however, appealed at the Supreme Court by the EC.

In its verdict (Dhivehi) – delivered more than four months after the appeal was filed – the apex court 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 invalidated the election after it emerged that an elderly Kodey man residing in Dhaandhoo had cast his ballot in the wrong box.

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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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MDP wins seven out of 10 seats in second round of council elections

Read this article in Dhivehi

Candidates from the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) have won seven out of the 10 seats in play during yesterday’s second round of voting in the local council elections, according to preliminary results from the Elections Commission (EC).

Run-off elections took place between candidates for three island councils tied in last place with the same number of votes, whilst a revote was held in the island of Miladhoo in Noonu atoll.

The results of the January 18 poll in Miladhoo were annulled after it emerged that disappearing ink was used at the polling booth.

In addition to the island council races, a rescheduled vote was held for two atoll council seats from the Gaaf Alif Villigili constituency.

The poll was postponed by the EC to afford a candidate adequate time to campaign after his disqualification by the commission was overturned by the Supreme Court. The candidate in question had however withdrawn his candidacy following the EC’s decision to delay the poll.

Two candidates each from the MDP and the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) contested the two Villigili atoll council seats.

The two winners were PPM candidate Saudhulla Rasheed with 1,227 votes, followed by MDP candidate Mohamed Haleel with 1,124 votes.

The opposition party won a majority of seats in the Gaaf Alif Atoll council.

In Baa Fehendhoo, MDP candidate Aminath Fazeena narrowly defeated government-aligned Jumhooree Party candidate Fathmath Nuzla with 79 votes and 75 votes respectively. With the victory, the opposition party secured a majority of the Fehendhoo island council.

In Haa Alif Muraidhoo, two MDP candidates who had received the same number of votes faced off for the island council seat. Asrar Abdulla won the run-off poll with 268 votes.

A pair of MDP candidates contested in Raa Maakurath as well with Saudhulla Mohamed beating Abdulla Azeez for the last island council seat.

Of ten candidates standing in the revote for the five-member Miladhoo island council, three MDP candidates – Ibrahim Areef, Abubakur Ali, and Hassan Moosa – received the highest number of votes followed by PPM candidate Abdul Muttalib Abdul Samad in fourth place.

Two PPM candidates – Mohamed Ali and Fathmath Mohamed – were tied in fifth place with 428 votes.

While a run-off election was also due to take place yesterday in Gaaf Alif Kodey, the poll was postponed pending a High Court ruling on an ongoing election-related case.

The newly-elected councillors are due to be sworn in on February 26.

Seat haul

Some 2,463 candidates contested in the January 18 elections for 1,100 seats – 951 island council seats, 132 atoll council seats, and 17 city council seats – in the country’s second local government elections under the landmark Decentralisation Act of 2010.

Yesterday’s victories for the MDP brings its seat haul to 465 in total, including eight out of 11 seats in the Malé City Council and all six seats in the Addu City Council. The party fielded 901 candidates.

The governing Progressive Coalition – consisting of the PPM, JP, and Maldives Development Alliance – fielded 934 candidates and has now won a combined total of 459 seats.

With the three seats it won in yesterday’s polls, the PPM has taken 280 seats, followed by the JP with 123 seats and the MDA with 56 seats.

The Adhaalath Party fielded 83 candidates and secured 45 seats while, of the 543 independent candidates, 133 were elected.

The religious conservative party campaigned independently of the government coalition as it was not an official coalition partner with a formal agreement.

The Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) meanwhile fielded two candidates and won one council seat.

In the first local council elections that took place in February 2011, the then-main opposition DRP won a clear majority of seats while the MDP claimed it won the popular vote.

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EC to hold polls for five local councils on February 15

The Elections Commission (EC) has scheduled polls for four island councils and one atoll council for February 15.

Polls are being held to determine the fifth member of the Haa Alif atoll Muraidhoo, Shaviyani atoll Kondey, and Raa atoll Maakurathu island councils after two candidates were tied for fifth place during the vote held on January 18.

A fresh vote is being held in Noonu atoll, Miladhoo island, with the EC having invalidated the January 18 vote due to irregularities.

The delayed polls for the Gaaf Alif atoll council will also be held on February 18. The EC had postponed the vote to allow additional time for a formerly disqualified candidate to campaign. After the Supreme Court overturned the ruling, the vote was delayed, only for the candidate in question to withdraw.

Eligible voters who wish to cast their ballot in a location other than the box with which they are currently registered can submit re-registration forms at the EC until 3:00pm tomorrow.

Ballot boxes will only be placed in the respective islands and in Malé. To check registration status, send an SMS to 1414 with VIS [National ID#].

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EC announces preliminary results of local council elections

The Elections Commission (EC) yesterday completed announcing preliminary results of the local council elections that took place on Saturday, January 18.

EC President Fuwad Thowfeek told the press that a second round of voting would be necessary in some races where the last placed candidates received the same number of votes.

“For example, for a five-member council, if the [candidates] in fifth place and sixth place are tied, in such cases we have to go to a second round,” Thowfeek explained.

He added that the EC would announce a date for the second round, though Thowfeek did not reveal the constituencies where a second round would be needed.

Official results are meanwhile expected by Friday. Election laws stipulate that official results must be announced within 14 days of the polls.

A total of 2,463 candidates contested in the January 18 elections for 1,100 seats – 951 island council seats, 132 atoll council seats, and 17 city council seats – in the country’s second local government elections under the landmark Decentralisation Act of 2010.

Minivan News’s analysis of the provisional results – subject to change – shows that the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) won 457 seats (41.5 percent) while the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) won 281 seats (25.5 percent).

The PPM’s coalition partners, the Jumhooree Party (JP) and the Maldives Development Alliance, took 125 seats (11.4 percent) and 59 seats (5.4 percent) respectively.

The Adhaalath Party secured 45 seats (4.1 percent) – including a majority in three councils – while the Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) won one seat (0.1 percent) and independent candidates won 132 seats (12 percent).

The Adhaalath Party campaigned independently of the government coalition as the religious conservative party was not an official coalition partner. The party decided to back PPM candidate Abdulla Yameen in the second round of the presidential election last year without a formal coalition agreement.

Close race, PPM satisfied

The MDP’s 457 seat haul meanwhile includes 55 atoll council seats, 14 city council seats, and 388 island council seats.

The main opposition party retained a majority of the Malé and Addu City councils. The two cities account for 40 percent of the voting population.

The party also gained majority control of 79 councils (37.6 percent).

Parties representing the government coalition took a combined total of 465 seats, including 71 atoll council seats, three city council seats, and 391 island council seats.

The government coalition won a majority in 57 councils.

At a press conference hours after polls closed on January 18, former President Mohamed Nasheed said that the results portended a victory for the MDP in the upcoming parliamentary elections.

Nasheed also threatened to impeach President Abdulla Yameen should the opposition party secure a majority of parliamentary seats.

“The Maldivian citizens still want an MDP government, and for Maldives to be ruled according to MDP’s philosophy. I would like to tell the Maldivian public, do not be disheartened. God willing, without much delay, we will take over the government,” he said.

Earlier in the day, Nasheed told reporters that the MDP suspected electoral fraud using fake national identity cards in the presidential election.

The former president’s remarks were condemned the following day by the PPM, with Deputy Leader Abdul Raheem Abdulla expressing confidence of the government coalition winning “a clear majority” of seats in the local council elections.

Raheem accused the MDP’s presidential candidate of attempting to incite unrest and turmoil.

Referring to Nasheed’s remarks conceding the presidential election on November 16, Abdul Raheem said a responsible opposition party would not seek to change the government.

Nasheed was narrowly defeated by PPM candidate Yameen in November’s controversial presidential election, winning 48.61 percent of the vote (105,181) to Yameen’s 51.39 percent (111,203) – a difference of just 6,022 votes.

President Yameen meanwhile told reporters last week that PPM members who contested as independents cost the government coalition a number of seats.

Yameen claimed that more than 85 percent of independent candidates were PPM members.

PPM members decided to contest as independent candidates in constituencies reserved for the coalition partner JP, Yameen explained, despite instructions from the party.

President Yameen noted that the three seats won by PPM candidates in the capital was an improvement on the February 2011 results, in which the then-opposition took two seats to the MDP’s nine.

Yameen further contended that the results of the council elections showed “huge support for our coalition”.

“So I am satisfied. [But] we could have put in a better effort,” he said.

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Week in review: January 18 – 24

The biggest headline of the week was captured by Home Minister Umar Naseer after he ordered correctional authorities to make preparations for the implementation of the death penalty – currently under a sixty year moratorium.

Speaking with the media upon his return from Sri Lanka – President Abdulla Yameen said that the home minister’s decision had not been discussed with the cabinet.

During his state visit Yameen was reported to be considering access through Maldivian waters for passing Sri Lankan fishing vessels. He is also said to have revealed his decision to reject the proposed status of forces agreement (SOFA) with the United States.

Opinions on the president’s fisheries policy – as well as the policies of Malé city council – were expressed this week as Minivan News visited the capital’s famous fish market to talk about the state of the industry.

The government’s plans to expand the tourism industry were discussed this week as Minivan News interviewed cabinet minister Ahmed Adeeb, while the Home Ministry’s focus on the illegal drugs trade continued as police seized MVR300,000 worth of drugs – along with an endangered primate – from a house in Malé.

The president’s foreign policy also took shape – with a clear emphasis on economic self-sufficiency to facilitate independence and protect sovereignty.

Whilst bilateral ties between India and the Maldives were celebrated with the launch of the Dosti-Ekuverikan week, opposition spokesperson Hamid Abdul Ghafoor told Indian media that the country had “failed” Maldivian democracy during recent political turmoils.

Local elections

The week began with the local council elections, and finished with the final results of the 1,100 contests still not yet known. What was clear was that turnout was low on the day – a report from Transparency Maldives suggested the system was failing up to one third of voters who live and work away from their registered island of residence.

The Elections Commission (EC) introduced the public displaying of ID card photographs to help prevent voter fraud, though the decision quickly brought complaints from religious leaders regarding the exposure of women who have since started wearing the veil.

November’s second-placed presidential candidate Mohamed Nasheed subsequently suggested that the clear existence of voters without photographs in the presidential poll registry indicated “serious fraud in the presidential election”.

The Maldivian Democratic Party figurehead went on to suggest that victory for his party in March’s parliamentary elections would see impeachment proceedings initiated against President Yameen.

Minivan News’ series of MP interviews continued this week, with Rozaina Adam, Mohamed ‘Colonel’ Nasheed, and Ahmed Abdulla all taking their turns.

Despite his Progressive Party of Maldives expressing confidence that they would win the majority of council seats, Yameen noted that party members standing as independent candidates had cost seats.

Supreme Court

Never far from the headlines, the Supreme Court’s role in the recent presidential elections continued to make news. The EC suggested that the Police Integrity Commission had shied away from examining key evidence used to annul the first round for fear of casting doubt on the court’s verdict.

Criticism of the verdict broadcast on Raajje TV resulted in this week’s decision by the broadcasting commission to order an apology from the station. Villa TV was similarly ordered to offer apologies for comments said to have defamed MDP candidate Nasheed.

Former Attorney General Husnu Suood was suspended from all courts pending the police’s investigation into his alleged contempt of court during the annulment trial. Suood suggested the decision may be linked to his role in the investigation of Justice Ali Hameed’s role in a sex tape scandal.

The Judicial Services Commission – charged with investigating the Hameed case – revealed its new regulations which will involve the periodic review of judge’s performance.

Meanwhile, the deputy prosecutor general appealed to the Supreme Court after the Criminal Court failed to resume normal activities – having previously halted proceeding pending the confirmation of a new PG.

Elsewhere…

Elsewhere in the Maldives this week, the auditor general revealed that the Defence Ministry had illegally purchased nearly MVR7 million of goods during 2011. This week also saw the first case of unfair dismissal filed in relation to the nine senior military officers removed amid internal murmurings during the controversial presidential race.

Finally, the Maldives was selected for a US$6million concessionary loan from Abu Dhabi for assistance with clean energy projects.

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Party members contesting as independents cost seats: President Yameen

Members of the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) who contested the local council elections as independents cost the government coalition a number of seats, President Abdulla Yameen has said.

Speaking to reporters this morning prior to his departure to Sri Lanka on an official state visit, President Yameen said more than 85 percent of independent candidates were PPM members.

“We lost seats in large constituencies – Malé and Addu City – we lost seats from these two cities. But that is how things will happen inside a coalition, not just our present coalition,” he said.

PPM members decided to contest as independent candidates in constituencies reserved for coalition partner Jumhooree Party (JP), Yameen explained, despite instructions from the party.

“Similarly, a JP member contested as an independent for the Addu atoll mid-constituency where our candidate got the ticket and contested,” he added.

Opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) candidates won in such cases where the vote was split among government-aligned candidates, Yameen said.

As voters considered family connections more than party affiliation in choosing candidates for councils, Yameen said government supporters contested as independents despite the best efforts of the party leadership to field single candidates representing the ruling ‘Progressive Coalition’.

Preliminary results show that the MDP has won eight out of 11 seats on the Malé City Council and all six seats of the Addu City Council.

Complete preliminary results are expected within the next two days.

President Yameen noted that the three seats won by PPM candidates in the capital was an improvement on the February 2011 local council elections, in which the then-opposition took two seats to the MDP’s nine.

Yameen further contended that the results of the council elections showed “huge support for our coalition” as the majority of independent candidates were from the PPM.

“So I am satisfied. [But] we could have put in a better effort,” he said.

Discussions were meanwhile underway among leaders of the PPM, JP, Maldives Development Alliance and the Adhaalath Party to avoid similar issues in the upcoming parliamentary elections and to decide how to divide the 84 constituencies among the coalition partners, Yameen said.

Party leaders would meet the press together and give joint interviews to explain the situation to government supporters in constituencies where there were disputes over choosing candidates, he added.

“I believe party spirit will be stronger in the parliamentary elections than the local council election,” he said.

At a press conference hours after polls closed, former President Mohamed Nasheed meanwhile predicted victory for the MDP in the parliamentary elections scheduled for March 22, based on the outcome of Saturday’s local government elections.

Nasheed was narrowly defeated by PPM candidate Yameen in November’s controversial presidential election, winning 48.61 percent of the vote (105,181) to Yameen’s 51.39 percent (111,203) – a difference of just 6,022 votes.

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PPM confident of winning majority of island and atoll councils

The Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) is confident of winning “a clear majority” of seats from atoll and island councils in Saturday’s local government elections, Deputy Leader Abdul Raheem Abdulla declared yesterday.

Speaking to press at the party’s office, the MP for Laamu Fonadhoo said former President Mohamed Nasheed’s claim on Saturday night that the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) would win a majority of seats was “worrying” as provisional results have not been announced yet.

Despite the MDP retaining control of the Malé and Addu city councils, preliminary results show that the PPM-led coalition has won 38 atoll council seats to the MDP’s 28 seats, Abdul Raheem noted.

Candidates from the ‘Progressive Coalition’ have also won 337 island council seats, he added.

Abdul Raheem suggested that government-aligned parties lost out in some constituencies with strong support as a result of inadequate campaigning.

“This happened because the local council election came not long after we assumed government after the presidential election. So we weren’t able to put in an adequate effort,” he said.

Voters considered family connections more than party affiliation in choosing candidates, Abdul Raheem said, contending that the results would therefore not be reflected in the upcoming parliamentary elections scheduled for March 22.

The PPM MP went on to condemn former President Nasheed’s threats to impeach President Abdulla Yameen should the MDP win a two-thirds majority of the People’s Majlis.

Speaking to press on Saturday night, Nasheed suggested that the local council elections indicated the MDP would win a majority of parliamentary seats.

“I believe Maldivians want an MDP majority in the country, and an MDP government in the country. The laws state two methods for changing a government. That is through an election or through a no-confidence vote followed by an election. If the Maldivian citizens give us a majority in parliament, then we will be forced to take that no confidence vote,” he said.

Earlier in the day, Nasheed told reporters that the MDP suspected electoral fraud using fake national identity cards in the presidential election.

Abdul Raheem meanwhile condemned Nasheed’s remarks and accused the former president of attempting to incite unrest and turmoil.

The PPM did not believe that the public would give the opposition party enough parliamentary seats to impeach the president, he said.

Despite differences of opinion among coalition parties, Abdul Raheem insisted that the ruling coalition was “strong and united”.

Referring to Nasheed’s remarks conceding the presidential election on November 16, Abdul Raheem said a responsible opposition party would not seek to change the government.

“We have half the country behind us. And therefore I wouldn’t see many challenges for us to face the next local council elections and the parliamentary elections. So we should be doing that,” Nasheed had said in the wake of the MDP’s narrow presidential election defeat.

“One thing we should not contemplate would be to overthrow the government by street action or by direct action. We must adhere to democratic principles.”

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National Complaints Bureau investigating 181 complaints concerning council elections

A total of 181 complaints were submitted to the independent National Complaints Bureau concerning yesterday’s local council elections.

Bureau Chief Ali Azim informed the press yesterday that none of the issues raised could have a material effect on the outcome of any local council contest.

“Of the 181 complaints submitted so far, we have not identified any that could impact the outcome. But we are looking into it,” he said.

The most common complaint concerned the Elections Commission’s (EC’s) decision to display national identity card photos in the voter lists placed outside polling stations, Azim said.

EC President Fuwad Thowfeek told reporters yesterday that photos were included in the voter lists as a safeguard to prevent fraud.

In addition to a number of phoned in complaints, two women submitted complaints in cases where ID card photos were taken before they wore face veils, said EC member Ali Mohamed Manik.

Following complaints from women who wear the hijab, Azim said the complaints bureau brought the matter to the attention of EC members and “informed [polling stations] to cover with a piece of paper the photos of people who insist on taking it down.”

The decision to display photos also drew criticism from some religious scholars, with NGO Salaf preacher Sheikh Adam Shameem calling to punish those responsible.

Adhaalath Party President Sheikh Imran Abdulla contended that the practice was contrary to Islamic principles and infringed on the rights of veiled women.

Meanwhile, Azim revealed that complaints submitted through official complaint forms included 78 cases of voters registered for the wrong ballot box, one case of a voter’s name missing from the list, three cases of alleged illegal campaigning, six cases of ballot boxes transferred to a different location, three cases concerning assisted voting, two complaints concerning inmates, one case of a voter displaying a marked ballot paper, and seven complaints about the EC.

Phoned in complaints included 27 complaints concerning voter registration issues, two complaints from voters registered for the wrong ballot box, 11 complaints of deceased citizens in the voters list, one complaint of gender mismatch, three complaints of illegal campaigning, three requests to transfer ballot boxes, two complaints about the EC and 28 complaints about displaying identity card photos.

In addition, a complaint was made alleging that two pens with fading ink were used in a polling booth.

“Concerning that complaint, we have seized the two pens through the Maldives Police Service. We are considering verifying through forensic investigators in the country or abroad,” Azim said.

According to the police, three men aged 38, 42, and 48 were taken into custody in Addu City for allegedly displaying their marked ballot papers. All three have since been released.

Two men from Faafu Nilandhoo were also briefly taken into custody after attempting to prevent the closing of the ballot box.

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