Protests erupt in Manadhoo after voter from different constituency casts ballot in local ballot box

Residents of N. Manadhoo have launched a protest following an incident during Saturday's local council elections, where an individual from a different constituency was found to have cast a ballot into a Manadhoo ballot box.

Speaking to RaajjeMV, the President-elect of the Manadhoo Island Council, Ali Zafir, stated that an extra ballot paper was discovered in the ballot box stationed at the Manadhoo Pre-school, exceeding the total number of registered voters on the list. He further noted that a large number of Manadhoo residents are currently protesting following reports that officials were attempting to remove the ballot box on Monday without resolving the discrepancy.

Zafir stated that based on the current results, there is only a one-vote difference for one of the seats on the Women's Development Committee. He noted that while the PNC candidate is leading by a single vote, the fact that one extra ballot was cast into that box is a discrepancy that could impact the final outcome of the election. However, he pointed out that the Elections Commission has yet to provide a resolution to the matter.

Multiple sources have informed RaajjeMV that the additional vote cast into the Manadhoo ballot box was submitted by the PNC campaign manager. It has also been reported that the individual in question is not a resident of Manadhoo. In a show of discontent, residents of Manadhoo are currently staging a protest outside the Atoll Council office.

The government faced a significant setback in Saturday's local council elections, Women's Development Committee elections, and the public referendum. In contrast, the main opposition party, MDP, secured the majority of seats across the country.