Maldives should restore democratic practices: India

Maintaining its position on the ongoing political crisis in the Maldives, India said that after the revocation of the emergency, democratic institutions, including the judiciary, should be allowed to function independently and in a fair and transparent manner in accordance with the Constitution.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), in an official release, said, "The State of Emergency declared in The Maldives on February 5, 2018, comes to an end this evening. It is our expectation that the Government of Maldives will not be seeking an extension of the State of Emergency so that the political process in The Maldives can resume with immediate effect."

The MEA further said that the Maldives should implement the order issued by the Supreme Court of Maldives on February 1 in letter and spirit.

"It is important that the Maldives quickly returns to the path of democracy and the rule of law so that the aspirations of Maldivian people are met and the concerns of the international community are assuaged," the MEA said.

Expressing concern over the ongoing political crisis in the Maldives, where democratic norms have been cast aside, the Chairman of the Association of SAARC Speakers and Parliamentarians appealed to the Speaker of the Majlis (Parliament) in the Maldives to immediately take steps to restore normalcy and respect for the rule of law in the country.

In his letter to the Speaker of Majlis, Abdulla Maseeh Mohamed, Chairman of the Association of SAARC Speakers and Parliamentarians Karu Jayasuriya called for "finding peaceful solutions through dialogue."

The Maldives is facing political unrest since President Yameen imposed emergency after refusing to implement a Supreme Court order of freeing imprisoned opposition leaders.

On February 2, the Maldivian Supreme Court acquitted former Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed, former Maldivian Vice President Ahmed Adeeb and ordered the reinstatement of 12 other parliamentary members.

The political unrest in the country deepened further when the police used force to crack down on the Maldivian opposition leaders, who continued to hold anti-government protests.