No early polls in the offing in Maldives: Mohamed Waheed

Maldivian President, Mohamed Waheed on Saturday ruled out the possibility of early polls in the country.

Rejecting former president Mohamed Nasheed's call for early elections, Waheed said the current situation in the island nation was not conducive to holding free and fair elections.

"There is an arrest warrant against him... But I'm trying not to arrest him. He needs to cooperate," said Waheed.

Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts are on to end the political stand-off in the country.

India has sent M.Ganapathy, Secretary (West) in the Ministry of External Affairs as a special envoy to Male to meet Uninted Nations and political representatives in a bid to work out a reconciliation.

U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs Robert Blake is due to arrive in Male on Saturday to meet President Waheed.

Nasheed has reportedly said that he would approach the Supreme Court for justice and possible reinstament in office.