MALE: Upping the ante, Maldives has accused India of undermining its democratic institutions and said it was “unfortunate” that New Delhi decided to publicly comment on former President Mohamed Nasheed’s arrest warrant rather than opting for bilateral discussions.
“It was unfortunate that the Government of India has decided to publicly comment on today’s events instead of opting for bilateral discussions between the two Governments,” Maldives Foreign Ministry said in a statement issued late last night.
It added: “It is further unfortunate that the Government of India has decided to comment on the types of candidates that could contest the upcoming Presidential Elections in the Maldives scheduled for September 2013”.
45-year-old Nasheed yesterday took refuge in the Indian High Commission to evade arrest warrant issued by a local court in a case concerning the detention of Chief Judge of the Criminal Court during his Presidency in January last year.
Noting that Nasheed was a candidate for the Presidential elections to be held in September, India had yesterday said in a statement that it is necessary that the Presidential nominees of recognized political parties be free to participate in the elections without any hindrance.
Replying to it, Maldivian Foreign Ministry said the independent Election Commission has not, as of date, announced candidates for the elections.
“Furthermore the Government firmly believes that the Election Commission of Maldives is fully capable of evaluating and deciding eligibility of nominees in the elections and carrying forward a credible electoral process.
“To presume otherwise would be undermining the democratic institutions of the country and the progress achieved by the Maldives in consolidating its democracy,” the Maldivian statement said. Maldives also denied India’s claim that it held discussions with Indian officials regarding Nasheed.
“Maldives wishes to confirm that neither the High Commission of India in Male, nor any other authority of the Government of India has had had discussion with the Government of Maldives concerning former President of Maldives Mohamed Nasheed’s reported request for ‘refuge’,” the statement said.
It also emphasized that Nasheed’s on-going trial is a matter handled by two independent State institutions, namely the Prosecutor General and the judiciary.
“Like any other democratic country, the executive branch of the Government of Maldives cannot, under the Constitution of the Maldives, interfere with the independence of the judiciary, and will indeed ensure that the independence of the judiciary is always upheld,” it said. -PTI
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