In New Delhi, official spokesperson in the Ministry of

External Affairs yesterday said, "Nasheed, who is a candidate for the Presidential elections in Maldives scheduled for September 2013, is in the Indian High Commission and has sought India's assistance... We are in touch with the relevant Maldivian authorities to resolve the situation." The Maldivian statement said, "the independent Elections Commission has not, as of date, announced the candidates for the elections. Furthermore the Government firmly believes that the Elections Commission of Maldives is fully capable of evaluating and deciding eligibility of nominees in the elections and carrying forward a credible electoral process. "To presume otherwise would be undermining the democratic institutions of the country and the progress achieved by the Maldives in consolidating its democracy. Nasheed became the first democratically elected president of the Indian Ocean archipelago in 2008. He resigned a year ago after weeks of public protests against the judge's arrest. His deputy, Mohammed Waheed, succeeded him. Immediately after his resignation, Nasheed claimed that he was ousted in a coup, a claim was dismissed by an inquiry commission last year.