Ahmed Rilwan, who wrote about corruption and Islamist militancy, was abducted in August 2014.

The Maldivian Democratic Party is set to secure 65 seats in the 87-member parliament.

His party fears the country's debts to China could run as high as US$3 billion and risk sinking the economy.

Before the election, the opposition said it would review Chinese investment.

This comes despite the UN, US, India and Canada urging the president to lift the emergency.

The island is now an arena of contest after it inked Beijing’s Belt and Road initiative.