Mayhem in Maldives after SC suspends elections

September 24, 2013 01:59

The Supreme Court of the Maldives has suspended presidential elections due this weekend following a legal challenge, sparking protests and fears of fresh instability in the troubled Indian Ocean archipelago.

The directive came in response to a case filed by a political party demanding that the results of the first round on September 7 be annulled because of alleged discrepancies.

"We order the Elections Commission and other relevant state institutions to delay the second round of the presidential election scheduled for 28 September 2013 until the Supreme Court issues a verdict in this case," read the ruling from the Supreme Court.

The final round of voting on Saturday was seen as a test for the young democracy a year and a half after the violent ousting of the country's first democratically elected president, Mohamed Nasheed.

The court decision sparked protests by his supporters during which police pepper-sprayed Nasheed and beat and detained two MPs from his Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), a member of Nasheed's security staff told AFP, asking not to be named.

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