Maldives court upholds presidential poll results |
The Maldives` top court has dismissed the outgoing president`s petition seeking an annulment of last month`s presidential election result. The five-member Supreme Court ruled that the election was conducted within the law. No other details were immediately known. The Election Commission had declared opposition alliance candidate Ibrahim Mohamed Solih the winner of the Sept. 23 election against President Yameen Abdul Gayoom. Maldives opposition leader and two Supreme Court judges have been arrested after the government declared a state of emergency. The charges against opposition leader Maumoon Abdul Gayoom include bribery and attempting to overthrow the government. Yameen`s party challenged the result, alleging vote rigging, fraud and corruption in the election process. Four of the five members of the Election Commission fled after the election, citing intimidation by Yameen’s supporters. Solih was chosen as candidate at a Maldivian Democratic Party congress in July after exiled former President Mohamed Nasheed abandoned plans to run because of legal obstacles. Nasheed has been sentenced to 13 years in prison, making him ineligible to contest the election. The verdict was widely criticized as politically motivated. The Supreme Court earlier this year ordered Nasheed’s release and retrial, but the government refused to implement the ruling.
|
|
|
|