The Local Government Authority (LGA) has determined that Shujau Ali has lost his position as President of Thinadhoo Council. This is because he left the political party he was a part of when he was elected as the President of the Vaavu Thinadhoo Council and then proceeded to join another party.

After Shujau ran for the President of Thinadhoo Council during the Local Council Election as part of The Democrats and subsequently won, he registered as a member of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) after the council's term began on 19th May and after The Democrats were dissolved.

According to a press release from LGA that was publicized today, the Elections Commission (EC) told the LGA that Shujau had registered as a member of another political party on 19th May, after being elected as the President of Thinadhoo Council in the Local Council Election held in April and after his term had begun.

LGA's press release reads that the Decentralization Act clearly states that if party switching occurs after being elected and during their term, they will lose their position.

And so, it has been determined that Shujau has been relieved of his position as the President of Thinadhoo Council and that the EC is to be notified that the seat is vacant, all of which occurred during an LGA board meeting on Tuesday, as was written in the statement.

While it was decided that Shujau had lost his seat, he had been suspended since early June until LGA could come to a decision. The Vice President of the council was put in charge in Shujau's absence.

Regarding the matter, Shujau has told Mihaaru News previously that he joined MDP after the EC had told the management of The Democrats on 23rd April that their party had been dissolved.

Shujau stated that even though he was elected while he was a part of The Democrats, the EC had informed them that the party had been dissolved before Shujau was sworn in as the President of Thinadhoo Council. And so he said that he does not believe this to be party switching.