A public debate among the six candidates for the first ever multi party Presidential Election in the Maldives, scheduled for October 8,was held in Male’ last week, the Maldivian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Ali Hussein Didi, said.

He,told the "Sunday Island", that incumbent President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom of the Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party, and Opposition candidates Mohamed Nasheed (Anni) of the Maldivian Democratic Party, Umar Naseer of the Islamic Democratic Party, Ibrahim Ismail of the Social Liberal Party, Qasim Ibrahim of the Jumhooree Party and independent candidate, Dr. Hassan Saeed, engaged in a lively two hour televised debate that saw various views being expressed on the evolving political system in the Maldives.

"The order in which the candidates spoke was decided by lots drawn prior to the commencement of the programme," the high commissioner said.

Didi said that the presidential candidates also set out their policies on the tourism, fisheries, education and health sectors.

All candidates had to sign a code of conduct, agreeing on the rules and procedures of the debate which was organized by the Information Ministry under its "Think Nation" public awareness campaign aimed at informing the people of the participants’ policies and programmes, he said.

 Elections, judicial, police, civil service and human rights commissions have been established to ensure the conduct of a free and fair poll, Didi said.