Maldives SC delays presidential run-off, Nasheed cries foul

A day after the Maldivian Supreme Court indefinitely postponed the second round of presidential elections scheduled for September 28, former President Mohammed Nasheed-led Maldivian Democratic Party today slammed the decision as "unconstitutional".
The Supreme Court deferred the second round indefinitely yesterday on the plea of Jumhooree Party (JP) which stood third and missed the chance of a run-off with Nasheed in the second round by a whisker.
The orders came within hours of Majlis, Maldives' Parliament, passing a resolution in which it called upon all the state institutions to ensure that the second round takes place, as scheduled, on September 28.

The decision resulted in scattered protests here by MDP supporters even as the situation was calm.
The injunction was vetted by majority of seven-member bench which was hearing the plea of JP which demanded annulment of the first round results alleging vote rigging.
Following the orders of the Supreme Court, Election Commission has brought to pause all the preparations related to the second round of polls which was necessitated as none of the four contenders could garner crucial 51 per cent of total votes, local daily Haveeru reported here.

Nasheed, 46, who led the first round with over 45 per cent of the votes, has to face in the second round the Progressive Party of Maldives candidate Abdullah Yameen who was the runner up in the first phase held on September 7.

Terming the decision to postpone second round as "unconstitutional", MDP said it would carry out country-wide peaceful protests against the decision.
"This is unconstitutional...This Supreme Court judgement is a response to legislature opposition to the coup. We passed a resolution yesterday calling on state institutions to ensure elections as scheduled," Member of Parliament and MDP's international affairs spokesperson Abdul Ghafoor told PTI.