On 4 April 2026, Meedhoo went to the polls as a separate island for the first time, electing its own Island Council following the October 2025 referendum and the administrative separation from Addu City Council. Of 2,359 eligible voters, 1,875 cast a ballot, a turnout of roughly 79%.
Ahmed Shathir, standing as an independent, won the council presidency with 959 votes (53.4%). The seven-member council is completed by five members, Ameen Haani (MDP), Ilyas Fathy (Independent), Abdulla Waseem (MDP), Afzal Rasheed (PNC) and Hassan Hameed (PNC), together with Rashydha Ibrahim (MDP), elected to the seat reserved for women.
Voters also elected the island's Women's Development Committee, with Nauma Abdulla (MDP) taking the WDC presidency. The new council and committee take office to begin Meedhoo's first term of self-government; the council's founding story, full membership and open-data pages are published here.
“Ahmed Shathir wins the presidency with 53.4%. Meedhoo's first Island Council takes office.”
