Government ready to hold early elections, says AG

Attorney General Aishath Azima Shakoor has said today that the new Administration is ready to hold early presidential elections, as former President and his Maldivian Democratic Party are demanding.

In a press conference held at the President’s Office moments ago, the Attorney General said that if the political parties are in agreement about early presidential elections, the Government would be willing to comply.

The next presidential election is not due until November 2013, but the Maldivian Democratic Party has repeatedly called for an early elections, after its leader Mohamed Nasheed resigned as President on the 7th of this month, when the Maldives Police Service and the Maldives National Defence Force joined with the people in protesting against Nasheed’s continued violations of the Constitution and laws of the country.

Attorney General said that early presidential elections could only be held by amending the Constitution, and that the Government would be willing to take that move as well, if political parties wish. She extended invitations to all political parties to come to a round-table discussion on the matter.