Ruling Progressive Party rejects Opposition claims that poll might be postponed
Dismissing Opposition claims that the Maldivian presidential election might be postponed, the ruling Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM) has assured that the poll will be held in September as scheduled. The Elections Commission of the Maldives in June announced that the presidential electionwill be held on September 23.
However, the Opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) on Sunday expressed “serious concern” over what it called “President (Abdulla) Yameen’s groundwork” to postpone or cancel the elections. The statement came in the wake of Defence Minister Adam Shareef Umar’s recent remarks that the police and military had learnt of “a plot to incite unrest and destabilise the nation” in the coming days. Neither the government nor the Ministry of Home Affairs in the Maldives has so far clarified the Defence Minister’s claim.
The September electionwill witness a contest between President Abdulla Yameen, and a united Opposition led by the MDP. The Opposition bloc includes the Jumhooree Party, the Adalath Party and a faction of the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives, led by the former President, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, who is currently in prison.
Source : https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-international/maldives-election-is-on-schedule/article24618748.ece
