The Elections Commission (EC) has announced that 11 ballot boxes from last week's Local Council Election will be recounted.
Speaking at a press conference held by the commission on Monday night, the commission's president Ahmed Shareef Adam said the ballot boxes set up in Th. Madifushi, Dh. Meedhoo, Vilamandhoo Resort, L. Kalhaidhoo, and Ga. atoll ballot box number 6 set up in Male' City, a box set up in D. Rinbodhoo, L. Olhuvelifushi, M. Raiymandhoo, Th. Thilamigili and Ga. Dhevvadhoo will be recounted.
The ballot box in Madifushi is being recounted due to a request to recount the invalid votes cast for the box. While there is a difference of only six votes between two candidates vying for a council seat, an equal number of invalid votes were recorded from the box.
Only the valid votes cast for the Dh. Meedhoo ballot box will be recounted. While those who cast their ballots to the box set up at Vilamandhoo Resort include a person who voted for Filladhoo constituency, and while the commission has received complaints that an invalid vote was counted as a valid vote from the same ballot box, the box is being recounted as there is the difference of only one vote between two candidates vying for Filladhoo council's presidency.
Only invalid votes will be recounted from L. Kalhaidhoo ballot box as well as ballot box number six for Ga. atoll set up in capital Male'. The security seal of the envelopes containing the votes cast for a ballot box in M. Raiymandhoo will be broken and five invalid votes will be reviewed. Both valid and invalid votes will be recounted for Dh. Rinbidhoo and Lh. Olhuvelifushi ballot boxes. The Dhiyamigili ballot box will be recounted while the invalid votes cast for the number one ballot box in Dhevvadhoo will also be recounted.
Shareef said the specific boxes will be recounted on Tuesday and that it will be recounted in the presence of of respective candidates.
