Official: Maldives adopts new constitution

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka: Maldives President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom has signed and adopted a new constitution that allows multi-party elections and a number of key other democratic reforms.

Government spokesman Mohammed Shareef says the new constitution also embodies for the first time independent bodies for human rights, judiciary, police, defense, election and corruption investigation.

Accordingly, the first multi-party presidential election will be held before Oct. 10, he says.

Gayoom has ruled the Islamic nation with tight controls for the past 30 years.