Maumoon's children face defeat

Both children of former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom faced defeat at the parliamentary election on Sunday.

Faris Maumoon and Dunya Maumoon contended for North-Machchangolhi and South-Hulhumale' constituencies, respectively.

Preliminary results show the former Minister of Foreign Affairs had secured 69 votes from South-Hulhumale' constituency, while MDP's candidate Dr. Ahmed Shamheed is leading with 1,010 votes.

From North-Machchangolhi constituency, First Lady's elder brother Ibrahim Mohamed is leading with 40 percent of the votes while Faris has secured 27 percent.

Whlie Faris is contending for a parliamentary seat, he was also a candidate in last year's presidential election. He secured 2,979 votes and was eliminated from the first round.

Faris and Dunya's father, former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom has founded three political parties to date. He first founded Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP), after which he went to form PPM, and after exiting the party, he founded the Maldives Reform Movement (MRM).

Although the Elections Commission (EC) dissolved MRM citing the party was short of the mandatory 3,000-member quota, Civil Court later held the commission's decision unlawful.