Polling has begun in the by-election for the Hithadhoo North parliamentary constituency in Addu City.
Elections Commission said voting started at 8am and will continue until 4pm.
The by-election is being contested by candidates from the ruling People's National Congress (PNC), Ahmed Saeed (Soda) and the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), Abdulla Sodiq (Soabe).
Five polling stations have been set up at Hithadhoo School for voters in the constituency. Eligible voters residing in Male' can cast their ballots at two polling stations established at Dharumavantha School.
According to the voters' register published by the Elections Commission, 4,120 people are eligible to vote in the Hithadhoo North constituency.
The campaign developed into a closely fought contest between the two candidates, with both parties deploying senior figures to secure support.
PNC conducted campaign rallies and door-to-door across in Addu, with several members of the party's leadership taking part. The party also assigned officials specifically to oversee campaign activities in the constituency.
MDP likewise intensified its efforts in the final days of the campaign. Former presidents Mohamed Nasheed and Ibrahim Mohamed Solih joined senior party leaders at a rally in Addu on Wednesday night, while party activists conducted door-to-door visits across the constituency.
The by-election was triggered after the seat became vacant following a Supreme Court ruling against former MP Sinaan in October 2024. The court found that Sinaan had failed to repay a MVR 2.5 million loan jointly obtained from an Islamic bank, resulting in the loss of his parliamentary seat.
Although Sinaan won the PNC primary for the by-election, the party said he chose not to contest in order to spend more time with his family. He subsequently relinquished the party's ticket to Saeed.
The PNC has described retaining the seat as one of its key political objectives. As part of the campaign, Speaker of Parliament Abdul Raheem Abdulla, cabinet ministers and several PNC members made repeated visits to Addu and participated in campaign efforts throughout the Hithadhoo North constituency.
