Ibrahim Shaz, the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) candidate, has secured victory in the Guraidhoo Constituency by-election, marking the first time MDP has won this Parliament seat. According to preliminary results, Shaz won the by-election with 1,346 votes, defeating the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) candidate Hussain Riza who received 1,226 votes, and the Maldives National Party (MNP) candidate Ali Areef who received 122 votes.
Voting commenced at 0800hrs on April 15 in Guraidhoo, Maafushi, and Gulhi in Kaafu Atoll, with a total of two ballot boxes placed in Guraidhoo, two in Maafushi, and one in Gulhi. A total of 3,423 eligible voters participated in the by-election.
While the Elections Commission of the Maldives (ECM) reported that the voting process went smoothly, the political parties raised concerns over the extension of polling time due to rain, causing some voters to have difficulty reaching the polling stations. However, the ECM confirmed that it received only two such complaints and that they will not affect the election results.
The Guraidhoo Constituency Parliament seat became vacant following the death of Parliamentarian Riza on February 23 while undergoing cancer treatment in Malaysia. This is the second by-election held during the current parliamentary term, with the first one being held after the death of Parliamentarian Hussain Waheed.
