Maldives crisis: Yameen now challenges result after accepting it

NEW DELHI: Outgoing Maldives President Abdulla Yameen has blamed the disappearing ink and the specially treated ballot papers for his heavy election defeat — less than a month after accepting the result — pushing the Indian Ocean country into fresh political crisis. India, Maldives biggest neighbour, is keeping a close watch on the fast-changing situation in Male.

Yameen had initially said he that he had accepted defeat, and was ready to step down when his term ends on November 17, but launched a challenge in the Supreme Court last week, seeking to annul the result.

At a hearing on Sunday which resumed on Monday, Yameen’s lawyer Mohamed Saleem accused the printer of ballot papers of tampering the same.


A lawyer for the Election Commission, which Yameen accused of colluding with the printer to ensure his defeat, on Sunday denied any wrongdoing, including using any such special ink.

Sources told ET it was likely that Yameen will not go down without a fight, but sources claimed Yameen’s efforts will not yield much result as the international community has accepted the poll results as free and fair.

A day ahead of the court hearing in Male, the US warned “appropriate measures” would be taken if the will of the Maldivian people was undermined. Europe has also issued similar warnings in the past.

Yameen’s Progressive Party on Saturday said the vote was the “most farcical election in living memory” with the organisation “abysmal” and vote-rigging “rampant”.

Hamid Abdul Ghafoor, Colombo-based spokesman for the Opposition Maldivian Democratic Party, said the legal challenge was an attempt by Yameen to create turmoil. The Maldives EC said the vote was free and fair, with 89.2% turnout. And the Opposition has been trying to secure a smooth transition of power, due on November 17.