The Elections Commission (EC) has suspended a monitor and a representative who harassed foreign observers during Saturday's presidential election.
A video circulating on social media shows some local monitors shouting at two Indian observers for allegedly standing too close to a ballot box.
During a press conference on Tuesday, EC Vice President Ismail Habeeb rejected such actions and warned that immediate action would be taken.
“If groups who have our pass harass other groups who also have our pass, sadly, we will have to remove the passes from them," Habeeb warned.
Habeeb said the two observers who were harassed were members of the Elections Commission of India.
“They came at our invitation. We accredited them. We gave passes to them. We authorized them to be there. And they, too, wanted to observe our election,” Habeeb said.
EC on Wednesday said that a decision had been made to suspend the observer and representative for violating the code of conduct.
They will be barred from working as monitors, observers, party representatives or election officials during the second round of voting on September 30 and the upcoming two key elections.
The "India Out" campaign was launched by the opposition Progressive Party of Maldives and the People's National Congress (PPM-PNC) coalition.
PNC candidate Dr. Mohamed Muizzu finished top with 101,635 votes (46 percent) during Saturday's presidential election.
He will face President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih from the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) during the run-off round on September 30.
