Counting halted in Mahchangolhi North PNC primary after allegations of fake votes

Vote counting in the Mahchangolhi North constituency was halted on Saturday after allegations of fake votes surfaced during the People’s National Congress (PNC) primary held to select candidates for the upcoming local council elections.

Polling for the primary began at 0900 hrs and continued until 1600, with additional time given to voters who were still in queue at closing time. Counting began soon after the polls closed.

A video circulated on social media by a local newspaper showed the counting process being interrupted.  

A witness told Sun that tensions escalated when some individuals accused him of casting fake votes, prompting the disruption.

Earlier in the day, PNC campaign manager and parliamentary group leader Ibrahim Falaah told Sun that the primary had proceeded peacefully across all constituencies.

According to the party’s candidate list, 183 out of 308 candidates are contesting for council seats, while 121 candidates are running for women’s development committees.

The PNC, with 68,665 registered members, is the largest political party in the Maldives. Falaah said on Saturday that the party’s membership is expected to reach 73,000.