Shujau Ali, the President of the V. Thinadhoo Council, has expressed confidence in reclaiming his seat through a by-election following the Local Government Authority’s (LGA) decision to vacate his position due to party switching.

The LGA ruled on Thursday that Shujau’s seat became vacant under the Decentralization Act, which stipulates that council members lose their positions if they defect from the party under which they were elected. Shujau, however, argues that the LGA’s move was procedurally flawed and failed to consider the unique legal complexities of his situation, asserting that the authority acted without a clear legal precedent for this specific case.

Having previously served as the V. Atoll Council President, Shujau was elected to the Thinadhoo Council on ‘The Democrats’ ticket and sworn in on May 17. While the Elections Commission (EC) noted his registration with another party two days post-inauguration, reports indicate Shujau applied to join the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) prior to being sworn in, following the dissolution of his original party.

Shujau stated he is prepared to face the electorate immediately should the EC announce a by-election, maintaining that he remains undeterred and retains the full support of the community to lead the council once more.