Elections Commission has assigned ballot numbers to candidates contesting the Hithadhoo North by-election, scheduled for 6 June.

Two candidates are in the race:

Candidate 1: Ahmed Saeed (Soda) and

Candidate 2: former Addu City Mayor Abdulla Sodhiq (Soabe).

Sodhiq is contesting on the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) ticket after running unopposed in the party’s primary.

The ruling People’s National Congress (PNC) fielded Saeed after its initial candidate, former MP Mohamed Sinan, withdrew.

Sinan lost his parliamentary seat following a Supreme Court ruling that found he had failed to repay MVR 2.5 million owed under a joint loan agreement.

In a unanimous decision, the court held that the unpaid debt resulted in the loss of his seat.