MDP primary: Iskandar School rioters released on conditional bail

The individuals who were arrested for wreaking havoc at Iskandar School during Saturday’s poll, have been released on conditional bail.

The main ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) held its primary for this year’s presidential election, on Saturday.

The two Maldivian men were arrested inside the Iskandar School hall on Saturday.

They were arrested for attempting to damage the ballot papers while preparations were underway to count the votes.

Several officers of the Maldives Police Service (MPS) Special Operations unit were present at the scene, at the time.

Preparations were underway to count the votes in one of the two ballot boxes placed for Lhaviyani atoll constituents in Malé.

A media official at the police institution revealed that the two individuals were arrested under accusations of damaging property and that they were released upon being presented to the Criminal Court, under specific conditions.

Results of the two Lhaviyani constituency ballot boxes placed at Iskandar School reveal that candidate number one, Former President and current Speaker of Parliament Mohamed Nasheed had received 89 votes in total, with his opponent candidate number two, President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih leading the vote by a huge margin, with 395 votes in his favor.

Saturday’s poll saw disruptions across some polling stations, with voters clashing and some even having damaged ballot boxes.

As such, three individuals were arrested under accusations of damaging ballot boxes.

Two were arrested from Rathafandhoo island and one from Thinadhoo island in Gaaf Dhaal atoll under accusations of damaging the ballot box placed at GDh. Thinadhoo Aboobakuru School.

The accused is reported to have carried a mobile phone on them when entering the station to cast their vote.

This comes at a time an issue sparked in Gadhdhoo island of Gaaf Dhaal atoll, after violence broke out in the area after a person put up a body camera to cast their vote.

It has been reported that water spilled onto the ballot papers.

However, since there were still enough ballot papers, polling resumed later.

Most polling stations across the country closed at 5pm.