Maldives’ EC calls off polls after police intervention
20 Oct 2013 11:36 PM GMT
Minutes before voting was scheduled to start on Saturday, the EC issued a statement saying police blocked officials from conducting a presidential revote.
The police said they would not support an election held in contravention of the Supreme Court verdict and guidelines.
‘As we continued with (preparation for) voting, the Maldives Police Services have said no document relating to the election can leave the commission’s offices, stopping the election,’ said a statement issued by the Election Commission.
‘When we are informed of the next date for the election, we will announce the election,’ the Minivan News quoted the statement as saying.
The Supreme Court had annulled results of the first round of polling held on September 7 and ordered fresh polls before October 20 after hearing a petition on alleged electoral fraud filed by third placed candidate Qasim Ibrahim.
In that balloting, former president Mohamed Nasheed, 46, got 45.45% votes. However, a candidate needs to cross the 50% mark for the poll process to be complete.
Reacting to the development, Nasheed’s Maldivian Democratic Party spokesperson and a member of ‘Majlis’ Abdul Gafur said over phone that this entire machinery - police, army, President Mohammed Waheed and Supreme Court - which is opposing democratic process has been validated by international community after ‘coup’ in February 2012.
‘There is no other way but international intervention. We are waiting for the international community to realise to get into action otherwise we are another Burma. President Nasheed was saved by the skin of his teeth as he ran into Indian High Commission... it is a cat and mouse game,’ Gafur said.
He said the way forward is also not clear as there is no new date for the election.
The term of incumbent Waheed ends on November 11 and if no new candidate is elected, it might spark a Constitutional crisis in this nascent democracy.
The political scene in Maldives has been in a state of flux since February 2012 when Nasheed was forced to resign in duress. He was succeeded by vice president Waheed.
Annulling the elections, the Supreme Court had made it mandatory that new voter list must be signed by all contesting political parties.
But Progressive Party of Maldives and Jumhooree Party which remained at second and third position in 7 September voting did not sign voter list.
This resulted in police opposition to polls and scrapping of elections by the EC.
Outgoing president calls for elections on 26 October
Male: Mohammed Waheed on Saturday asked the Maldives’ Elections Commission (EC) to find a way to hold a ‘free, fair, and inclusive’ presidential poll as early as possible, preferably on 26 October.
Waheed met EC members on Saturday afternoon to discuss the future course of action after a presidential revote was blocked by police, a statement issued by his office said.
‘President Dr Mohamed Waheed is concerned that the presidential election could not be held as scheduled.
The President is fully committed to holding a free, fair, and inclusive election, where none of the candidates boycott it,’ the statement said.
The police said they would not support an election held in contravention of the Supreme Court verdict and guidelines.
‘As we continued with (preparation for) voting, the Maldives Police Services have said no document relating to the election can leave the commission’s offices, stopping the election,’ said a statement issued by the Election Commission.
‘When we are informed of the next date for the election, we will announce the election,’ the Minivan News quoted the statement as saying.
The Supreme Court had annulled results of the first round of polling held on September 7 and ordered fresh polls before October 20 after hearing a petition on alleged electoral fraud filed by third placed candidate Qasim Ibrahim.
In that balloting, former president Mohamed Nasheed, 46, got 45.45% votes. However, a candidate needs to cross the 50% mark for the poll process to be complete.
Reacting to the development, Nasheed’s Maldivian Democratic Party spokesperson and a member of ‘Majlis’ Abdul Gafur said over phone that this entire machinery - police, army, President Mohammed Waheed and Supreme Court - which is opposing democratic process has been validated by international community after ‘coup’ in February 2012.
‘There is no other way but international intervention. We are waiting for the international community to realise to get into action otherwise we are another Burma. President Nasheed was saved by the skin of his teeth as he ran into Indian High Commission... it is a cat and mouse game,’ Gafur said.
He said the way forward is also not clear as there is no new date for the election.
The term of incumbent Waheed ends on November 11 and if no new candidate is elected, it might spark a Constitutional crisis in this nascent democracy.
The political scene in Maldives has been in a state of flux since February 2012 when Nasheed was forced to resign in duress. He was succeeded by vice president Waheed.
Annulling the elections, the Supreme Court had made it mandatory that new voter list must be signed by all contesting political parties.
But Progressive Party of Maldives and Jumhooree Party which remained at second and third position in 7 September voting did not sign voter list.
This resulted in police opposition to polls and scrapping of elections by the EC.
Outgoing president calls for elections on 26 October
Male: Mohammed Waheed on Saturday asked the Maldives’ Elections Commission (EC) to find a way to hold a ‘free, fair, and inclusive’ presidential poll as early as possible, preferably on 26 October.
Waheed met EC members on Saturday afternoon to discuss the future course of action after a presidential revote was blocked by police, a statement issued by his office said.
‘President Dr Mohamed Waheed is concerned that the presidential election could not be held as scheduled.
The President is fully committed to holding a free, fair, and inclusive election, where none of the candidates boycott it,’ the statement said.
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