The presidential run-off was due to take place on Sunday but the Indian Ocean island nation’s top court delayed it until 16 November in a pre-dawn ruling.
‘All relevant state authorities are informed that today’s election cannot take place,’ the Supreme Court said just hours before the run-off was due to begin.
In Saturday’s crucial re-vote, Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) chief Mohammed Nasheed emerged a winner but failed to clinch 50 per cent of the votes to avoid a run-off.
The 46-year-old former president bagged 46.4 per cent of the votes, a marginal increase from his previous tally of 45.45 per cent votes in the 7 September polls that were annulled by the Supreme Court in which Nasheed had emerged the front-runner.
Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) leader Abdullah Yameen made a significant gain of nearly five per cent over the 25.35 per cent of votes he secured in the annulled polls and managed 30.3 per cent of the votes on Saturday. Jumhooree Party (JP) leader and resort tycoon Gasim Ibrahim bagged 23.4 per cent of the votes as second runner up. The order issued by the Supreme Court stated that by holding the run-off the very next day to the first round could undermine the constitutional rights of many people. The court ordered all state institutions to hold the second round on 16 November, saying it finds Saturday ‘the best date to hold the run-off’. Ibrahim had asked the court for more time to tell his supporters which way to vote in the run-off.
Immediately hold round 2 of Maldives Prez poll: US
WASHINGTON: The US has asked Maldives to hold the second round of presidential polls ‘immediately’, saying it is ‘unreasonable and unacceptable’ for parties to continue to demand changes to an agreed election date. ‘It is now imperative that the second round take place immediately and in line with Elections Commission directions in order to ensure the Maldivian people are led by an elected president of their choice,’ State Deptt spokesperson Jen Psaki said. Mohammed Nasheed could not clinch 50 per cent votes.
‘All relevant state authorities are informed that today’s election cannot take place,’ the Supreme Court said just hours before the run-off was due to begin.
In Saturday’s crucial re-vote, Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) chief Mohammed Nasheed emerged a winner but failed to clinch 50 per cent of the votes to avoid a run-off.
The 46-year-old former president bagged 46.4 per cent of the votes, a marginal increase from his previous tally of 45.45 per cent votes in the 7 September polls that were annulled by the Supreme Court in which Nasheed had emerged the front-runner.
Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) leader Abdullah Yameen made a significant gain of nearly five per cent over the 25.35 per cent of votes he secured in the annulled polls and managed 30.3 per cent of the votes on Saturday. Jumhooree Party (JP) leader and resort tycoon Gasim Ibrahim bagged 23.4 per cent of the votes as second runner up. The order issued by the Supreme Court stated that by holding the run-off the very next day to the first round could undermine the constitutional rights of many people. The court ordered all state institutions to hold the second round on 16 November, saying it finds Saturday ‘the best date to hold the run-off’. Ibrahim had asked the court for more time to tell his supporters which way to vote in the run-off.
Immediately hold round 2 of Maldives Prez poll: US
WASHINGTON: The US has asked Maldives to hold the second round of presidential polls ‘immediately’, saying it is ‘unreasonable and unacceptable’ for parties to continue to demand changes to an agreed election date. ‘It is now imperative that the second round take place immediately and in line with Elections Commission directions in order to ensure the Maldivian people are led by an elected president of their choice,’ State Deptt spokesperson Jen Psaki said. Mohammed Nasheed could not clinch 50 per cent votes.