Ahmed Shah, Uzair Ahmed, Ali Raza, and Abdullah Zaman are disqualified from The Leadership Election 2026.
The decision was made by the Deputy Returning Officer (DRO), following an investigation into the complaints made against the individuals, and the slate they were a part of, Yes 2 Change. The individuals named appealed against the decision to the Returning Officer, who after reviewing the evidence, upheld the original decision made by the DRO.
The complaints related to a failure to accurately declare all members of the slate, campaigning practices, and attempts to seek sponsorship for campaign activity and offering incentives in return for votes via a third party. These actions were found to breach the following election rules:
3a – Candidates shall act in the interests of a free and fair election
4a – Candidates forming a slate must register the slate at the time of application
5c – Candidates must not seek sponsorship or fundraising for campaign activity
This decision reflects the cumulative impact of the rule breaches identified during the investigation. These are not decisions that are taken lightly, but the Returning Officer must act to protect the integrity and fairness of the election.
Under the Single Transferable Vote (STV) system used in this election, any votes already cast for these candidates will not be lost. Where a voter has indicated further preferences, their vote will transfer to their next available preference when the count is conducted. If no further preferences are indicated, the vote will become non-transferable at that stage of the count.
This action relates specifically to the rule breaches outlined above and should not be taken as a reflection of, or have any bearing on, other allegations that have been raised during the election process. Any other matters are considered separately on their own evidence and circumstances.