Maldives' ousted president Mohamed Nasheed confident to win fresh presidential polls

Male: Ousted Maldivian president Mohammad Nasheed is confident of a "landslide" victory in the presidential poll to be held again this month after the Supreme Court annulled the previous round, an official said.

"No one wants a failed state... it will be a failed state if we do not elect a president by 11 November," Xinhua quoted Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) spokesperson Ahmed Naseem as saying after the court ordered fresh polling.

Nasheed, an MDP candidate, won 45 percent of the vote in the first round of the poll in September.

In 2008, Nasheed in the first free elections ousted President Moumool Abdul Gayoom, the autocratic leader for 30 years. However, Nasheed himself was removed from power in February 2012 in what he alleged was a coup.

"We have tasted democracy for three years. The people have tasted democracy. We don't want to go back to 30 years of dictatorship," Naseem added.

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The MDP spokesperson insisted that the elections should take place before Oct 20 as announced by the country's top court.

The court annulled the first phase of presidential election last month and ordered a fresh ballot within the next 13 days.

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If no candidate secured an absolute majority in the fresh election to be held before Oct 20, a run-off poll should be held before November 4, the court ordered.

The court noted that a total of 5,623 irregularities were found in the electoral list used for the first round of balloting.

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The Supreme Court order came days after a television station supportive of Nasheed was set on fire sparking call from the international community for a transparent investigation.

A new president must be sworn in by November 11, according to the Maldives' constitution.

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