Maldives ejected from Commonwealth panel over vote delay

The Commonwealth expelled the Maldives on Wednesday from its disciplinary panel, which has begun investigating the political chaos in the country after repeated court interventions that scuttled elections, a diplomat said.

The Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG), which can recommend the expulsion of countries from the 53-member bloc, ejected the Indian Ocean islands during a meeting in the Sri Lankan capital on Wednesday.

"As long as Maldives remains on the agenda of CMAG, it can't be a member of this panel," the diplomat said after the Commonwealth issued a statement confirming that the Maldives was discussed on Wednesday.

The country faces a constitutional crisis after three presidential elections were cancelled, with Western and Indian diplomats increasingly vocal in their criticism of the regime of incumbent Mohamed Waheed.

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