Thinadhoo council president loses seat after joining MDP
Shujau was elected to the council this year on the ticket of The Democrats.
The President of the V. Thinadhoo Island Council, Shujau Ali, has lost his council seat after joining the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).
Shujau was elected to the council this year on the ticket of The Democrats.
Under amendments to the Decentralisation Act introduced by the government, councillors elected on behalf of a political party automatically lose their seats if they register with another political party during their term in office.
In a statement issued on Friday, the Local Government Authority (LGA) said it had determined at a meeting held on Tuesday that Shujau's seat should be vacated because he had joined a party other than the one under which he was elected.
The LGA said it had declared the seat vacant and decided to notify the Elections Commission accordingly.
Shujau previously served as President of the Vaavu Atoll Council before contesting the local council elections as a candidate of The Democrats.
The Democrats was formed by former President Mohamed Nasheed and his supporters following a split within the MDP. The party was recently dissolved by the Elections Commission after its membership fell below the minimum requirement of 3,000 members under the Political Parties Act.
Shujau has previously said he joined the MDP following the dissolution of The Democrats.
