Malé was brought to a standstill today after Maldives police delayed elections in the Indian Ocean archipelago which has been in turmoil since February 2012 when the then-President, Mohamed Nasheed, was ousted by mutinying police, military forces and armed demonstrators.

Just hours before polls were due to open for an election that Nasheed looked set to win, police surrounded the secretariat of the Elections Commission, a move heavily criticised by the European Union, India and the United States. 

Security forces cordoned off a central area of Malé that included the President's office and the Supreme Court, while Nasheed's supporters blocked other streets with ropes, human chains, motorbikes and trucks.

Thousands of Nasheed's supporters put down tarpaulins and settled in at two main road junctions as they started a sit-down protest that brought Malé to a standstill.

Nasheed's supporters have staged violent protests since he was ousted and the fear is that these could now escalate, which could threaten the journey of the Baton, which is due to arrive in Malé on Monday (October 21) and stay in the Maldives for two days. 

Sriyani Kulawansa, the 1998 Commonwealth Games 100 metres hurdles silver medallist, leads a group of Sri Lankan schoolchildren as she carries the Queen's Baton through the capital Colombo today after its arrival from Lahore

The Queen's Baton, which is travelling around the world to promote next year's Commonwealth Games, landed in Sri Lankan capital Colombo this morning after flying in from Lahore, where a ceremony yesterday was snubbed by the Pakistan Government because of a row about who has authority for Olympic sports in the country.

The Baton had started its 248-day tour around the Commonwealth by visiting New Delhi, host of the last Games in 2010, where plans for Indian athletes to run round the streets with the Baton had to be scrapped because the event clashed with the Dussehra festival, a major event in the Hindu calendar.

Scottish officials also had to drop The Gambia from the Baton's schedule after the West African country unexpectedly withdrew from the Commonwealth.

At least things have gone smoothly today in Colombo, the city where in 2007 Glasgow beat Nigerian rivals Abuja to be awarded the Games.

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