The 23-page judgment in case MSF/DD/1/2026 followed a petition by the Towfiiq Reconciliation and Development Political Organization against the Independent National Electoral and Boundaries Commission. The Electoral Division heard arguments over three days, August 17-19, before a five-judge bench chaired by Chief Justice Bashe Yusuf Ahmed.

The court concluded that the combined election for Galmudug’s House of Representatives and local councils was not administered in accordance with Somalia’s constitutional principles and election legislation. It declared the resulting outcome legally invalid, saying the violations were substantial rather than minor technical errors and had damaged the transparency, freedom and integrity of the electoral process.

The judgment reviewed by Diplomat News Network identified problems across several stages of the process, including election scheduling, voter registration, candidate lists, campaigning, polling procedures, voter cards and the announcement of results.

Judges found that statutory election timelines had not been properly observed. The commission initially scheduled voting for July 20 before moving it to July 25 and later July 30. The court said the resulting timetable failed to provide the legally required preparation period and affected opportunities available to political organizations, candidates and voters.

The ruling also examined voter registration, noting evidence presented to the court that registration activity continued until July 28, two days before voting. It found shortcomings surrounding provisional and final voter lists and said the commission had not demonstrated full compliance with procedures intended to establish who was legally entitled to vote at individual polling locations.

The court additionally considered complaints involving representatives being denied access to some polling stations, shortages or irregular use of voter cards, delayed voting, election materials and voting outside assigned locations. Judges said failures affecting different stages of an election could collectively undermine confidence in the final result.

Towfiiq had asked the court to invalidate the results and order another election. The electoral commission rejected the challenge and sought confirmation of the results, arguing that the complainant had not established sufficient grounds for overturning the process.

In its final orders, the Supreme Court directed the Independent National Electoral and Boundaries Commission to hold new elections for Galmudug’s House of Representatives and local councils at the earliest reasonable time, complying with the federal Constitution, election legislation, the law governing the commission and rules governing political organizations and parties.

The court also addressed the institutional consequences of cancelling the results. To safeguard continuity of government services, prevent an administrative vacuum and protect stability in Galmudug, it ordered the institutions currently exercising authority to remain in office until replacements are elected through fresh elections conducted according to law.

Each party was ordered to bear its own legal costs.

The judgment stressed that elections are a continuous legal process extending from voter and political-organization registration through campaigning, polling, vote counting and certification of results. Failure to comply with mandatory requirements at those stages, the court reasoned, can affect the validity of the entire election.

The ruling places responsibility on the electoral commission to organize a new vote under stricter compliance with statutory procedures and establishes a significant judicial benchmark as Somalia expands direct, one-person-one-vote elections.