The UK government has expressed concern over the ruling party led move seeking to postpone the upcoming local council elections.
UK ambassador to Maldives James Dauris told Avas after a sit-down with the opposition alliance on Monday said his government shared similar concerns expressed by Maldives United Opposition (MUO) over possible postponement of the council polls.
"We agree with the concerns. It's imperative that Maldives maintains democracy," Dauris said.
Ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) in a case filed to the civil court had sought postponement of the local polls slated for January 14 citing the ongoing rift within the ruling party had impeded the party's preparations for the elections.
The divisions within the ruling party stem from a dispute between the elder Gayoom and his half brother President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom.
PPM's ousted leader Gayoom has since intervened in the case along with main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) and religiously conservative Adhaalath Party (AP).
The rift between the Gayooms grew to the point of causing a split in the party. The matter eventually saw its end in court with the reins of the party being given to the party's chief adviser, President Yameen.
The elder Gayoom has however, continued to defy the court ruling and has since led a breakaway faction within the party with his supporters, and has since withdrawn his support for the government.
"Its not possible for the party to face the elections after overcoming the many obstacles it had faced recently," the lawsuit read.
The case had also argued that the party database and other key documents that had been reported missing after the handover, which had also hampered its preparations for the elections.
As the party would face irrevocable loss if it contested the elections on the scheduled date, PPM had urged the court to postpone the elections by two months.
