PNC's Suha wins Dh. Meedhoo council president re-vote

People's National Congress (PNC) candidate Suha Ibrahim won the second round of voting held on Saturday for the position of President of the Dh. Meedhoo Council, following a series of recounts and court proceedings that resulted in a tied election.

The council president election was initially decided by a one-vote margin. According to the first results announced, Suha received 393 votes, while Maldives Development Alliance (MDA) candidate Mohamed Shahid secured 392 votes. Independent candidate Ibrahim Naseem received 100 votes.

The result was later challenged after it was established that a person without voting rights had cast a ballot in the box placed in L. Fonadhoo.

Following the review, one vote counted in favour of Suha was invalidated, resulting in a tie between the two leading candidates.

A subsequent recount of the Fonadhoo ballot box placed Shahid ahead by a single vote, giving him the council president's seat.

However, the matter was later taken to the High Court, which ruled that the vote removed from Suha's total had been invalidated incorrectly. The decision restored the tie between the two candidates and required a second round of voting.

In Saturday's re-vote, Suha secured 529 votes, while Shahid received 449 votes.

The results were as follows:

With the result, Suha was elected President of the Dh. Meedhoo Council.

Suha is a relative of First Lady Sajidha Mohamed.

The outcome also means the ruling PNC now holds all three seats on the Dh. Meedhoo Council.