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Maldivian Parliament meets next week, early poll on agenda: Report

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

New Delhi, Feb 21, IRNA -- With the Maldivian Parliament set to meet next week, India today hoped some sort of understanding would be made by then among the political parties of that country on the issue of early elections and necessary amendment to the Constitution.

India also said it was willing to offer any assistance, if asked for, for holding elections in the Indian Ocean archipelago that had witnessed political unrest earlier this month following the resignation of Mohammed Nasheed as President.

Noting that the People's Majlis (Parliament) is scheduled to meet on March 1, official sources said they hoped 'some sort of understanding, some sort of arrangement among the parties on the date of elections and cooperation on the floor of Parliament that will pave the way for Constitution amendment' would be worked out by then.

Under the Maldivian Constitution at present, any government that comes to power through a mid-term election, has a term only till the time when a normal election is to be held, pti reported. The next scheduled election is in November 2013.

44-year-old Nasheed, the first democratically-elected President of the Maldives, resigned on February 7 after which he claimed he was eased out of power in a coup.

With India mediating to end the crisis, the Maldivian government had last week come out with a road map that could lead to early elections which Nasheed's party MDP is also in favour of.

Sources said President Mohammaed Waheed Hassan has appointed a coordinator for discussions with all political parties.

'This sort of process will require a lot of cooperation among the various political parties and amendment to the Constitution is not possible without a three-fourths majority of the House, which means all major parties will have to cooperate,' a source said.

All parties will have to cooperate which is actually a good thing, the source pointed out.

Asked if any discussion had been held on India pitching in with assistance for elections, the source said 'we have not gone into any details but if sought, India would pitch in'.

On the role of India in resolving the crisis, the sources said India had only used its 'good offices to facilitate' discussions.

'What we are doing is voluntary facilitation. We have converted a very difficult situation into sort of a manageable situation.

'We are not out of the woods as yet. It needs careful handling,' another source said.

Asked if India was in favour of Nasheed's party joining the national unity government in the Maldives, as suggested by President Hassan, sources said it was the former President's prerogative.

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Islamic Republic News Agency/IRNA NewsCode: 30829960