Former Maldives President withdraws from presidential polls

Male June 29 (IANS) Former Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed said on Friday that he has withdrawn his ticket from the presidential elections scheduled for September 23.
In a message on his official Twitter account Nasheed said after the Election Commission sent a letter to his Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) saying that he could not contest the presidential polls he decided to relinquish his presidential ticket.
MDP spokesperson Hamid Abdul Gafoor told Xinhua news agency that following the "current circumstances" Nasheed had decided not to contest for the betterment of the MDP. Gafoor said the party congress would meet on Saturday.
Nasheed s nomination was rejected by the poll body as he faces terrorism charges.
The Elections Commission said last month that anyone convicted of a criminal offence could not legally contest in a political party s presidential primary warning that such elections would be annulled.

--IANS soni/