Hundreds of Maldivians vote in controversial presidential poll

Hundreds of Maldivians were headed to polling booths on Sunday as voting began in a controversial presidential electionamid fears that the process has been rigged in China-friendly strongman Abdulla Yameen's favour.

Some 262,000 people in the archipelago -- famed for its white beaches and blue lagoons -- can vote in an election from which independent international monitors have been barred.

According to reports, only a handful of foreign media have been allowed in.

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The news agency AFP quoted the Asian Network for Free Elections, a foreign monitoring group, saying that the campaign was heavily tilted in favour of the 59-year-old Yameen.

The network said it did not expect a fair contest.

"In the absence of any scrutiny (of the elections) or pressure (on the government), sombre events surely loom ahead for the people of Maldives," it said on the eve of the vote.

Yameen has imprisoned or forced into exile all his main rivals and is expected to retain his hold on power in the Indian Ocean island nation.

Foreign monitors and the opposition have slammed his government for its crackdown on opponents and the media, and urged the international community not to recognise the results of the election.

Meanwhile, before polls opened in the morning, police raided the campaign headquarters of the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), searched the building for several hours in a bid to stop what they called "illegal activities".

However, no arrests were made.

(With inputs from news agency)