Veyvah Council swearing-in ceremony to proceed as soon as a judge is appointed: LGA
The Elections Commission has officially gazetted the final results of the M. Veeyavah Council election following a Supreme Court ruling that overturned a previous High Court judgment regarding invalidated ballots.
Local Government Authority (LGA) Office. | Google
The Local Government Authority (LGA) has announced that the swearing-in ceremony for the M. Veyvah Island Council will proceed as soon as a judge is appointed, following a Supreme Court ruling today that overturned a previous High Court judgment regarding the council’s election.
An official from the Local Government Authority (LGA) informed RaajjeMV that they will request the relevant authorities to appoint a judge to administer the oath of office this Sunday. Following a Supreme Court ruling, the Elections Commission has now officially gazetted the final results for the M. Veyvah Council election.
The dispute in this case centers on the determination of invalid votes. It is noteworthy that during the recount, the Elections Commission (EC) provided a clear explanation as to why those specific ballots were deemed valid. The EC clarified that the markings on the ballot papers were not intentional drawings. Instead, the commission accepted the ballots as valid after determining that the marks were the result of ink bleeding during the printing process. These three contested ballots had been cast in favor of the MDP candidate.
In delivering the verdict, the Supreme Court justices emphasized that a judge must consider numerous factors before making a decision that could alter election results. However, the bench noted that the High Court’s ruling was inconsistent with established legal provisions and prior Supreme Court precedents.
Furthermore, the judges stated that if every ballot paper containing printing ink marks were to be declared invalid, it would undermine the electoral system and lead to significant negative repercussions.
