Speaking publicly for the first time since Thursday's Supreme Court order to release politicians opposed to him, including exiled former President Mohammed Nasheed, President Yameen Abdul Gayoom said was open to holding an election several months before his term ends next November.
In addition to ordering the release of the political prisoners, the court also reinstated 12 lawmakers who had been ousted for switching allegiance to the opposition.
Yameen said that he did not expect the court ruling, but that all relevant authorities of the state need to do "a lot of work to see how to implement it."
"We are working on making sure we can respect the Supreme Court order in a way that doesn't cause any difficulties to the people," he said at a rally in his support organized by his Progressive Party of the Maldives.
Also Read
The court's ruling, which said the dissident political leaders' guilty verdicts were politically influenced, has led to protests by opposition supporters urging the government to obey the order.
After the court's ruling was made public, street celebrations by government opponents transformed into three hours of clashes with police, who used tear gas and batons to break up the gatherings.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres asked the Maldivian government to respect the Supreme Court's order, his spokesman's office said.
Known for its luxury tourist resorts, the Maldives became a multiparty democracy 10 years ago after decades of autocratic rule by the current president's half brother, strongman Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.
But the nation lost much of its democratic gains after Yameen was elected in 2013. He has maintained a tight grip on power, controlling institutions such as the judiciary and the police.
Yameen had been set to run for re-election this year virtually unopposed, with all of his opponents either jailed or exiled.
Nasheed was sentenced to 13 years in prison after he was convicted of the abduction charge under the Maldives' anti- terror laws in a trial that was widely condemned by international rights groups.
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content