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| Maldives court annuls presidential election result | Maldives court annuls presidential election result |
| (about 20 hours later) | |
| The Maldives Supreme Court has annulled results from the first round of voting in presidential elections, and called a fresh ballot by 20 October. | |
| The Court had postponed the second round of voting amid allegations of electoral fraud. | The Court had postponed the second round of voting amid allegations of electoral fraud. |
| Mohammed Nasheed, who was forced from office in an alleged coup last year, won 45% of the vote, falling short of the total needed to avoid a run-off. | Mohammed Nasheed, who was forced from office in an alleged coup last year, won 45% of the vote, falling short of the total needed to avoid a run-off. |
| Mr Nasheed came to power in 2008 in the country's first free elections. | Mr Nasheed came to power in 2008 in the country's first free elections. |
| The country's highest court annulled the 7 September result by a majority decision of 4-3, an official told reporters outside the courthouse. | The country's highest court annulled the 7 September result by a majority decision of 4-3, an official told reporters outside the courthouse. |
| Any run-off vote should be held before 4 November so that a new president can take office by the 11 November deadline, the official said. | Any run-off vote should be held before 4 November so that a new president can take office by the 11 November deadline, the official said. |
| Qasim Ibrahim, who came in third in the first round of voting, had asked the court last month to void the results citing electoral fraud. | Qasim Ibrahim, who came in third in the first round of voting, had asked the court last month to void the results citing electoral fraud. |
| Local and international observers had described the first round of voting as free and fair. | Local and international observers had described the first round of voting as free and fair. |
| Mr Nasheed had needed more than 50% to avoid a run-off against his nearest rival, Abdulla Yameen, who won 25% of the vote. | Mr Nasheed had needed more than 50% to avoid a run-off against his nearest rival, Abdulla Yameen, who won 25% of the vote. |
| Mr Yameen is the half-brother of the Maldives' former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, who led the country for 30 years. | Mr Yameen is the half-brother of the Maldives' former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, who led the country for 30 years. |
| Just hours before the court ruling on Monday, masked men set fire to the studios of pro-opposition television station Raajje TV, which is known to support Mr Nasheed. | Just hours before the court ruling on Monday, masked men set fire to the studios of pro-opposition television station Raajje TV, which is known to support Mr Nasheed. |