News Desk
Former Supreme Court Justice Husnu Al Suood has apologised after spreading a false claim about the Election Commission’s handling of ballot papers ahead of the 4 April vote.
In an earlier post on X, Suood alleged that the Commission was preparing to violate ballot secrecy by asking voters how they intended to vote before issuing them ballot papers. He claimed the EC planned to hand out only one ballot paper based on a voter’s stated preference, instead of issuing all three ballots required for the referendum and two council elections.
The Election Commission rejected the allegation, stating that every voter will receive all three ballot papers without being questioned. Following clarification from the Commission’s Chairperson, Suood issued a second post acknowledging that his earlier statement was false and apologised for spreading it.
The retraction has not stemmed public criticism. Many social media users expressed concern that a former Supreme Court judge had circulated what they described as a baseless and irresponsible claim. Several commentators called for action against Suood, arguing that spreading misinformation for political purposes undermines public trust during an election period.
The Commission has repeatedly urged the public to rely on official announcements as the referendum approaches.
