'Quit' call over Maldives poll halt

The eleventh-hour cancellation of the Maldives' presidential election by police brought supporters of former president Mohamed Nasheed onto the streets in protest.

He urged them to shut down the capital, Male, by blocking roads.

Nasheed's the leading contender in the re-run poll halted when police surrounded the Election Commission headquarters.

He says the action amounts to a new coup and says current President Mohamed Waheed should quit.

(SOUNDBITE)(English) MALDIVES DEMOCRATIC PARTY LEADER AND FORMER PRESIDENT MOHAMED NASHEED SAYING:

"We believe that the only prudent way forward and a possible solution to the situation would be today for Dr Waheed to resign and the speaker of parliament to take over the government until November 11th which is in a few weeks, and the elections to be held under his tenure and not under the unelected or the unrepresentative rule of Dr Waheed."

Nasheed was ousted as president last year by mutinying police, military an