The opposing Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM)'s candidate has won the Villimale' Women's Development Committee by-election.
PPM's candidate Fathimath Nazima and Maldives National Party (MNP)'s Aminath Sheeza contested for Womens' Development Committee membership in the election held Saturday.
According to the provisional results, Nazima won the election by a margin of one vote. Nazim received 359 votes, while Sheeza received 358 votes.
Six ballot boxes were set up for the election. While 149 people voted for the ballot box one, both candidates received 73 votes from the ballot box. Three votes were counted as invalid.
Sheeza took the lead in vote box number two with 86 votes, while Nazima received 63 votes. Two votes from the box were counted as invalid. Sheeza also won ballot box number three with 71 votes, from which Nazima received 64 votes. Two invalid votes were counted.
One hundred seventy-four people voted for ballot box number four, in which Nazima received 92 votes, and Sheeza got 78 votes. Four votes from the ballot box were declared invalid. PPM received 39 votes, and MNP 28 votes from box number five, and 28 votes and 22 votes from ballot box number six.
Due to the narrow defeat, MNP has decided to ask for a recount of the by-election vote. The party's Chief Spokesperson Asra Ahmed said the party has decided to ask the Election Commission to recount the votes after considering the provisional results of today's polls.
