New Delhi: India on Thursday said it was "very carefully monitoring" the fast changing political situation in Maldives where parliament impeached the Vice President over his alleged role in a blast on the President's speedboat, a day after declaration of emergency.
"Maldives is a close neighbour.... It is important for us to know what is happening there. We are, of course, monitoring the developments there pertaining to State of Emergency and today's impeachment of the Vice President very very carefully," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said.
Maldivian Vice President Ahmed Adeeb, under arrest over an alleged attempt to assassinate President Abdulla Yameen, was on Thursday impeached by Parliament after approving the imposition of the controversial 30-day State of Emergency. Sixty one lawmakers out of the 85 present during the session voted in favour. The main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) lawmakers boycotted the vote. Fifty- seven votes were required to impeach the vice president.
Yameen had on Wednesday declared a SoE for 30 days citing threat to national security and gave sweeping powers to security forces while suspending right to freedom of movement and assembly after arms and explosives were found near his palace.
The declaration came two days ahead of a planned protest by the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) aimed at pressuring Yameen to release its leader and former President Mohamed Nasheed from jail after a widely criticised conviction under anti-terror laws.
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