Maldives electoral body on Sunday warned strict action against the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) over the ongoing protest in the capital Male challenging the result of last month's presidential elections.
Elections Commission has announced the official results which confirmed opposition alliance presidential candidate Ibrahim Mohamed Solih as the seventh president of the archipelago with a staggering 58.4 percent of the votes.
Solih had been backed by incumbent president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom's main political rivals including the now jailed former presidents Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, Mohamed Nasheed along with Jumhoory Party leader and business tycoon Gasim Ibrahim.
However, the ruling party has now claimed that the elections commission had rigged the elections and has been carrying out nightly protests demanding the commission to answer recent allegations.
Elections chief Ahmed Shareef said on Sunday that the commission had sent a letter to PPM asking the party if the protests have been sanctioned by the party.
"If the protests are not sanctioned by PPM, we've asked the party to inform protesters to stop protesting outside the party office," Shareef said.
Shareef also warned to take strict action if the "unlawful" protests persist.
President Yameen himself has urged his supporters to demand the country's electoral watchdog to answer the numerous allegations of vote rigging that had surfaced after president Yameen had accepted the result and assured a smooth transition of power.
