India has expressed concern over the actions of the Maldives Supreme Court in removing the country’s Election Commission Chair and Deputy Chair just two weeks before the Parliamentary polls and hoped that the independence of the poll panel would be “protected”.
Stating that New Delhi had always backed the strengthening of the democratic processes in Male, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said, “In this context, the Government of India has noted with concern the removal of the Chairperson and the Deputy Chairperson of the Election Commission of Maldives from their (respective) positions and deferred prison sentence of the Chairperson”.
According to the MEA, “It is India’s hope that the independence of the EC is protected and strengthened and the forthcoming Parl elections are held in a free, fair and credible manner, fulfilling the democratic aspirations of the people”.