Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) chairperson Fayyaz Ismail said on Tuesday that President Mohamed Muizzu has no authority to dictate how parliamentarians should vote.
In a post on X, following the ruling People’s National Congress (PNC)’s announcement that it would take action against MPs who violated the three-line whip, Fayyaz said party whiplines would only be issued after approval from the party’s parliamentary group, not the President’s Office.
“The President’s Office should not interfere in parliamentary voting matters. Whiplines must be decided by the party’s parliamentary group,” Fayyaz wrote.
His remarks come as the PNC-backed amendment to the Courts Act was accepted for parliamentary consideration with 64 votes in favour. Eleven MDP MPs and an independent MP opposed the bill, while 10 PNC members, despite some attending the sitting, did not participate in the vote. Following the vote, the bill was sent to the Judiciary Committee for review, where it passed in approximately an hour without amendments, with eight members voting in favour. Two MDP members on the committee opposed the bill, while PNC member Anara Naeem abstained.
PNC’s parliamentary group leader, Ibrahim Falah, earlier warned that disciplinary action would be taken against MPs who defied the party’s three-line whip. President Muizzu also reiterated this stance in a message to a PNC WhatsApp group, stressing that members must not disobey the party line.
Meanwhile, the MDP has pledged support for any PNC member facing a by-election if the party expels them, which would result in the loss of their parliamentary seat under last November’s constitutional amendment. The amendment allows lawmakers expelled by their party’s disciplinary committee to be unseated.
The Supreme Court is currently hearing a petition challenging the constitutionality of the amendment.