According to local media reports, a total of 368 candidates, including candidates from Muizzu's Peoples National Congress (PNC), contesting the elections. Besides, 130 of these candidates are contesting as independents.
Mohamed Hussain Shareef, the ambassador to neighbouring Sri Lanka, said the government "has no intention of extending" the emergency when its 30-day period expires, "barring very unusual circumstances such as widespread violence."
Dunya's father, former President of the Maldives Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, and brother Ahmed Faaris Maumoon were arrested on charges of trying to topple the Yameen government.
Maldives criticised India's concern over the extension of emergency saying that New Delhi has ignored "facts and ground realities with regard to the ongoing political developments in the Maldives".
Accepting President Abdulla Yameen's recommendation, the Maldivian Parliament (Majlis) yesterday extended the state of emergency by another 30 days.
The sources also rejected media reports quoting Chinese website sina.com.cn that 11 Chinese warships had entered the East Indian Ocean amid a constitutional crisis in the Maldives.
As Maldives continues to face political crisis, five Chinese naval ships sailed into the eastern Indian Ocean to join six other vessels.
Pictures and video footage showed lawmakers being hauled away from the building then hoisted over the gate by army officers.
The two journalists working for French news agency AFP, Indian national Money Sharma and British national of Indian-origin Atish Ravi Patel, were handed over to immigration authorities by the police.
Maldives Foreign Minister Mohamed Asim, who is on an official visit to Pakistan 10 as special envoy of embattled President Abdulla Yameen, met PM Shahid Khaqan Abbasi.
External affairs ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar's remarks came in response to reports of an Indian national taken into custody in the island nation.
The action against the two journalists came as a privately-owned television station in the Maldives went off the air, citing threats during the country's current state of emergency.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said international community should respect sovereignty and independence of the Maldives.
"Both leaders expressed concern about the political crisis in Maldives and the importance of respect for democratic institutions and rule of law," the White House said in a readout of the phone call between Trump and Modi.
Yameen has already dispatched special envoys to China, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia to brief them about the deepening political crisis in the country.
Air India today said it is waiving ticket cancellation and other charges for passengers booked on flights to and from Male till February 20, in view of the prevailing situation in Maldives.
Amid a political turmoil, Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen has said he was sending envoys to three "friendly nations" -- China, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. India is not on the list.
The tweet by Nasheed, a friend of India, came as China, in apparent reference to India, on Wednesday cautioned against outside interference in the Maldives' internal affairs, saying it would "complicate" the situation.
Earlier, exiled former Maldivian president Mohamed Nasheed asked India to intervene militarily to resolve the ongoing political crisis in the Maldives.
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