Constitutional crisis deepens in Maldives as President Yameen declares Emergency after a showdown with Supreme Court; security forces arrest former President M A Gayoom and Chief Justice Abdullah Saeed; exiled former President Nasheed calls for people to revolt against incumbent govt.

In fast changing developments since Sunday, Maldives government declared state of emergency for 15 days in the country which has been heavily criticized by opposition groups and major powers.

The emergency declaration came last night after Maldives President Abdullah Yameen expressed his government inability to implement the Supreme court ruling of Thursday which ordered for release of nine opposition leaders.

The declaration gives sweeping powers to security forces to arrest and detain individuals, curtails the powers of the judiciary and bars parliament from impeaching Yameen.

Soon after the declaration, security forces took into custody chief justice and another judge of supreme court. They also arrested 80 year old former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, who was president for 30 years until the country’s first democratic elections in 2008. His son-in-law was also arrested.

Country’s first democratically elected President, Mohammed Nasheed, who is presently under exile, termed the emergency as unconstitutional and illegal calling upon people not to follow the unlawful order. He also called for people to revolt against incumbent government.