Date:10/10/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/10/10/stories/2008101060472200.htm

International

Gayoom headed for runoff

Male: Maldives President Abdul Gayoom and his rival Mohammed Anni Nasheed may face other each other in the second round of Presidential polls as none of the three candidates in the fray are likely to get the stipulated 50 per cent of votes in the first round. If any candidate fails to secure 50 per cent of the votes polled, there will be a run off between candidates finishing first and second. It may take about 10 days to know the winner if the run-off becomes inevitable, officials said here.

Mr. Gayoom (71) is the longest serving President in Asia and has been in power since 1978. With counting for about two-thirds of ballots over, he has secured 39.78 per cent of votes, about 10 per cent short of the winning target of half of the votes polled. — PTI