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| In Latest Snag, Police Block Maldives Vote for President | |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| NEW DELHI — The police in the island nation of Maldives blocked a rescheduled presidential election on Saturday, setting the stage for a potential constitutional crisis if there is no replacement for the current president when his term runs out in November. | NEW DELHI — The police in the island nation of Maldives blocked a rescheduled presidential election on Saturday, setting the stage for a potential constitutional crisis if there is no replacement for the current president when his term runs out in November. |
| Election commission officials said they could not carry out the planned vote because the police had surrounded the commission’s offices in the capital, Male, and would not allow personnel to do their work. | Election commission officials said they could not carry out the planned vote because the police had surrounded the commission’s offices in the capital, Male, and would not allow personnel to do their work. |
| The police said they had been forced to act because some candidates had not approved the voter rolls. | The police said they had been forced to act because some candidates had not approved the voter rolls. |
| The abrupt cancellation has further dimmed prospects for democracy in Maldives, a country of 350,000 in the Indian Ocean that held its first democratic elections in 2008 after decades of autocratic rule. | The abrupt cancellation has further dimmed prospects for democracy in Maldives, a country of 350,000 in the Indian Ocean that held its first democratic elections in 2008 after decades of autocratic rule. |
| The democratic upheaval began with the resignation last year of the country’s first democratically elected president, Mohamed Nasheed, under circumstances that his supporters describe as a coup. | The democratic upheaval began with the resignation last year of the country’s first democratically elected president, Mohamed Nasheed, under circumstances that his supporters describe as a coup. |
| A presidential election was held in September, and Mr. Nasheed won the largest number of votes, 45 percent. But the results of that vote, which were supposed to lead to a runoff, were annulled after one of the losing candidates complained of irregularities. | A presidential election was held in September, and Mr. Nasheed won the largest number of votes, 45 percent. But the results of that vote, which were supposed to lead to a runoff, were annulled after one of the losing candidates complained of irregularities. |
| N. Manoharan, a Delhi-based political analyst, called the cancellation Saturday “an institutional failure.” He added that, though voters were enthusiastic about participating, “the scales are tilted against democracy.” | N. Manoharan, a Delhi-based political analyst, called the cancellation Saturday “an institutional failure.” He added that, though voters were enthusiastic about participating, “the scales are tilted against democracy.” |
| Britain’s foreign secretary, William Hague, said new delays “will be seen as nothing less than an attempt to frustrate the democratic process,” according to Reuters. | Britain’s foreign secretary, William Hague, said new delays “will be seen as nothing less than an attempt to frustrate the democratic process,” according to Reuters. |
| Hamid Abdul Ghafoor, a spokesman for Mr. Nasheed’s party, said constituencies within the police, judiciary and security forces remained sympathetic to the country’s former autocratic leader, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. Mr. Ghafoor said those groups had worked together to hamper a democratic transition. | Hamid Abdul Ghafoor, a spokesman for Mr. Nasheed’s party, said constituencies within the police, judiciary and security forces remained sympathetic to the country’s former autocratic leader, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. Mr. Ghafoor said those groups had worked together to hamper a democratic transition. |
| “There is a mandate developing for the international community to intervene and restrain these undemocratic forces,” Mr. Ghafoor said. “We are in no man’s land right now.” | “There is a mandate developing for the international community to intervene and restrain these undemocratic forces,” Mr. Ghafoor said. “We are in no man’s land right now.” |
| Late Saturday, President Mohamed Waheed Hassan proposed that the new vote be held next Saturday. | Late Saturday, President Mohamed Waheed Hassan proposed that the new vote be held next Saturday. |
Ellen Barry contributed reporting. | Ellen Barry contributed reporting. |