High Court cancels By-election for Thulhaadhoo Council

High Court has cancelled the announcement made by Elections Commission to hold by-elections for Thulhaadhoo Council.

The High Court based this cancellation on Thulhaadhoo Council’s decision that Umaira Abubakr no longer holds the post of Councillor, and also after looking into a case submitted by Umaira requesting cancellation of Election Commission’s announcement for a by-election of Thulhaadhoo Council.

This case was handled by High Court Judges Dr Azmeralda Zahir and Abbas Shareef.

At the hearing, High Court Judge Abdul Ghanee Mohamed said that the announcement was made by Elections Commission without fulfilling the requirements of a previous order issued by the High Court.

Ghanee said that the Elections Commission’s announcement was made in an irresponsible manner, and that even though a Council decides that a person no longer holds the position of Councillor, the Commission should check if all the necessary procedures were followed in the dismissal.

“As unanimously agreed by the Judges of the High Court, as the announcement on 5 October 2011 by Elections Commission for by-elections of B. Thulhaadhoo to be held on 19 November 2011, was made without fulfilling the requirements previously ordered by the High Court, we hereby declare that this announcement is cancelled,” Abdu Ghanee, High Court Judge said.

The trial for the case submitted to Thulhaadhoo Magistrate Court by Umaira to cancel her dismissal from the post of Councillor, is now underway after much delay.