UN rights chief criticizes Maldives' top court

The United Nations' top human rights official is accusing the Maldives' Supreme Court of interfering excessively in the country's presidential elections.

The court earlier this month annulled a Sept 7 election and ordered a revote, which was canceled after police intervened.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said in a statement today that she is "alarmed that the Supreme Court ... Is interfering excessively in the presidential elections, and in so doing is subverting the democratic process and violating the right of Maldivians to freely elect their representatives."

She says the democratic process is in "dangerous drift.