Emergency in Maldives extends

■ The Maldives top court has suspended 12 pro-opposition legislators before the crucial parliamentary vote, emboldening Yameen as he clings to power. ■ The Supreme Court decision on late Sunday reverses its original order to reinstate the rebel MPs, who

Colombo/Male: The state of emergency in troubletorn Maldives was on Monday extended by 30 days after a key parliamentary committee approved President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom’s request, a media report said, allowing him to reinforce his power in the picturesque Indian Ocean island nation.

In what is being seen as a jolt and fresh snub to India, the state of emergency was on Monday extended by 30 days after a key parliamentary committee reportedly approved President Abdulla Yameen’s request, allowing him to reinforce his power in the picturesque tiny Indian Ocean archipelago nation. Continuing his defiance of India, President Yameen earlier on Monday had approached his Parliament seeking to extend the emergency in his nation by 30 days on the grounds that “the threat to national security has not diminished, and the Constitutional crisis has not been resolved”.

A total of 38 MPs voted to accept the decree and forward it to the National Security Committee for evaluation. All opposition MPs boycotted the sitting, alleging it was held unconstitutionally, the report said.

The Maldivian President had earlier refused to obey a Supreme Court order and had imposed emergency in his tiny archipelago nation for 15 days on February 5.

India had wanted President Yameen to lift the emergency but the advice seems to have been ignored yet again.