PNC won nine out of 13 by-elections for vacant council seats across the country. The opposition MDP took two seats. Independent candidates won two seats as well. PNC candidates were elected unopposed to 24 seats. President Muizzu congratulated the ruling party as MDP chairman Fayyaz called the outcome a win “in the face of the entire government coming out, using state power and resources and handing out jobs and money.” The turnout was 55.4 percent of 6,275 eligible voters.
The government is planning to remove three Supreme Court justices from the bench, the MDP alleged.
The police assured a review of an off-duty officer’s use of force to restrain a teenager in Raa Meedhoo after a video of Thursday’s incident emerged online.
During a meeting with the visiting infrastructure minister, Makunudhoo protesters expressed frustration over the isolated island’s exclusion from a list of airport projects announced by the president.
A luxury yacht of the ADK Group caught fire and sank near the Reethi Rah Resort on Wednesday, the police informed the media, without disclosing further details. One of five people onboard sustained injuries in the fire.
The independent MP for Addu Meedhoo accused Defence Minister Ghassan Maumoon of insulting citizens of the southernmost atoll. Abdul Rahman described approaching Ghassan at the opening of parliament on Thursday about failed attempts to contact him, “but the minister got angry and said that he didn't have to answer when we called and that Addu was not even related to [his mandate].”
