US concerned over troubling political situation in Maldives

Ahead of the presidential polls in Maldives, the US has expressed concern over the troubling political situation in the country and said it was heavily engaged in trying to ensure that the long-delayed elections happen.

 

"We are watching with mounting concern some of the troubling trend that we see in the elections in the Maldives and we are heavily engaged in trying to ensure that the election happen," Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Nisha Desai Biswal said yesterday.

 

"We think that the democratic process is critical that Maldivian people have expressed their desire for democratic process unfolding," she said.

 

"We are working hard to impress upon all of the political leaders there why we think that that's in their interest," Biswal said ahead of the tomorrow's presidential elections in Maldives which so has far been postponed several times.

 

There are three candidates in the fray for the top post.

 

The three candidates are -- Mohammed Nasheed, leader of Maldivian Democratic Party, Progressive Party of Maldives' leader Abdullah Yameen and Gasim Ibrahim from Jumhoory Party.

 

During the polls held on September 7, Nasheed got 45.45 % of the votes, leading to a run-off because he did not get the mandatory 50 % of the votes.

 

However, the run-off was cancelled by the Supreme Court which then ordered fresh polls but police blocked a presidential re-vote on October 19, plunging the country into a fresh crisis.

 

After the country's first democratically elected President Nasheed resigned under duress in February 2012, he was succeeded by Waheed, who was then Vice-President.

 

The Maldives has been in political turmoil ever since Nasheed's removal.

 

Waheed's term ends on November 11 and if no new candidate is elected, it might spark a constitutional crisis in the nascent democracy.