
Parliament deadlock runs into second day as MPs clash over no-confidence motion
The issue escalated on Tuesday after the chair decided to put on hold the no-confidence motion against Attorney General Ibrahim Riffath.
Parliament cut short its sitting for a second day on Tuesday as MPs clashed over the no-confidence motion against Attorney General Ibrahim Riffath.
The issue escalated on Tuesday after the chair decided to put on hold the no-confidence motion against Attorney General Ibrahim Riffath. Pro-government lawmakers protested at the chair over speaker Mohamed Nasheed's decision.
Nasheed adjourned the sitting for lunch amid procedural objections.
Villufushi MP Hassan Afeef was in the chair when the session resumed after the lunch.
After the sitting resumed, the chair allowed Henveiru West MP Hassan Latheef, from Nasheed's breakaway The Democrats party, to submit an emergency motion urging the parliament to look into allegations that the government had been threatening people who sign up to The Democrats.
When Hassan Latheef began presenting the motion, protests by pro-government members grew louder. After a while, Afeef said that if MPs raise their voice, Tuesday's sitting will not be able to proceed further.
However, the MPs continued their protests. Afeef announced the conclusion of the session.
Nasheed's decision to stay the no-confidence motion against Riffath came in the wake of a complaint filed by the opposition PPM alleging that Riffath had infringed on the privileges of the parliament. The motion was rejected in the morning session of Tuesday's sitting with a vote of 48 members.
However, Nasheed announced that the matter has been referred to the parliamentary privileges committee as a similar but separate matter has been raised for committee review.