Maldives court annuls 1st round presidential vote, says flawed register affected result

MALE, Maldives – The Supreme Court of the Maldives has annulled the results of the first round of voting in the country's presidential election, agreeing with a losing candidate's claim that the election was flawed.

Four judges of a seven-member panel on Monday decided that some 5,600 votes cast in the Sept. 7 first round were flawed and the vote therefore indecisive on which candidates qualified for a runoff. The court ordered a first round revote before Oct. 20.

Former President Mohamed Nasheed led the vote with more than 45 percent but failed to get the needed 50 percent. Yaamin Abdul Gayoom — brother of the South Asia country's former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom — finished second.

Businessman Qasim Ibrahim, who finished a close third, complained that he was denied a runoff slot because of a wrong voter registry.