COLOMBO: The Maldives top court yesterday rejected a petition by President Abdulla Yameen to annul last month’s election results and call a fresh poll, upholding his defeat, reports AFP.

The five-judge Supreme Court bench unanimously ruled that Yameen had failed to prove his claim that the September 23 vote won by opposition candidate Ibrahim Mohamed Solih was rigged.

Under pressure from abroad, Yameen initially conceded defeat and said he would stand down on November 17 -- but then this month filed his petition despite the threat of sanctions.