Speaker of Parliament Mohamed Aslam and Deputy Speaker Ahmed Saleem, members of the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), have been served notices following no-confidence motions filed against them, the Secretariat of Parliament has confirmed.
The ruling coalition, comprised of the People’s National Congress (PNC) and the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), filed the motions. The submission of the notices indicates that the parliament has accepted the no-confidence motion.
Ahmed Siraj, the MP for Fonadhoo and parliamentary group leader for the PNC, the minority party in parliament, filed the motion. Supported by 23 lawmakers, the motion was filed concerning issues that arose in the lead up to the confirmation of President Mohamed Muizzu’s cabinet nominations.
The PPM-PNC lawmakers alleged that Speaker Aslam had violated Section 200(e) of the standing order of parliament, which mandates the earliest possible scheduling of the cabinet confirmation. They claimed that Speaker Aslam had delayed the matter for eight days.
The lawmakers further alleged that Speaker Aslam returned the cabinet confirmation to the Government Oversight Committee without allowing lawmakers to debate when the delayed issue was placed on the agenda for a sitting on 18 January.
The lawmakers also allege that Speaker Aslam violated Sections 70 and 75 of the Constitution. The no-confidence motion against Deputy Speaker Saleem asserts that he failed to intervene or take any action while the speaker was purportedly in violation of the Constitution and standing order of parliament.
Following the no-confidence notices served to MP Aslam and MP Saleem, PPM-PNC lawmakers have requested the Parliament Secretariat to prevent both MPs from presiding over Monday’s parliamentary sitting. This request comes in anticipation of the inaugural session of parliament, scheduled for 5 February, during which President Muizzu is expected to deliver his first presidential address. Ahmed Thariq, the MP for Mahibadhoo, echoed this sentiment, urging the Parliament Secretariat to prohibit MP Aslam and MP Saleem from chairing Monday’s sitting.
Mohamed Nasheed, the former Speaker of Parliament and Member of Parliament for Machchangolhi, had previously chosen to recuse himself from presiding over parliamentary sittings in the wake of a no-confidence motion filed against him by the MDP. In light of this precedent, Thariq has urged MP Aslam and MP Saleem to similarly recuse themselves from presiding over Monday’s sitting.
According to the standing order of parliament, when the speaker and deputy speaker are unavailable to preside over a sitting, the five most senior lawmakers can take their place. The MPs on this list are Ahmed Siyam Mohamed, the MP for Meedhoo; Qasim Ibrahim, the MP for Maamigili; Ahmed Saleem, the MP for Eydhafushi and parliamentary group leader of the PPM; Abdul Gafoor Moosa, the MP for Hanimaadhoo; and Ahmed Amir, the MP for Kudahuvadhoo.
