Embattled speaker vows to uphold rule of law in all matters

Speaker of parliament Mohamed Nasheed, who is facing a no-confidence motion from his own party, said on Sunday that he will uphold rule of law in all matters. 

A motion has been moved to remove Nasheed, who still serves as MDP president despite his aides working on forming a breakaway party called The Democrats, from the post of speaker on the grounds that he is running the parliament in violation of the rules of procedure.

Nasheed on Sunday informed the parliament secretariat that he will no longer chair the sittings until a vote is taken on the no-confidence motion.

On the current developments in parliament, Nasheed told Atoll Times on Sunday that he was upholding rule of law. 

In a letter to parliament's Secretary General Fathimath Niusha on Sunday, Nasheed said he will not preside over sittings until a decision is taken on the no-confidence motion "signed by many MDP MPs".

"... Even if I stay away from chairing the parliament sittings, I will continue to run all the business of the parliament to the extent that the rules of the parliament are laid down," he said.

"As my no-confidence motion continues, I take this opportunity to assure you that I will not do anything that undermines your duties and duties in the slightest."

MDP's parliamentary group has moved a similar no-confidence motion against deputy speaker Eva Abdulla. 

With the change in the party representations in the parliament late last month, committees need to be reconstituted. However, parties could not agree on it and the work of the committees have been stalled. Eva's no-confidence motion was taken off the agenda of Sunday's sitting.

According to the parliament's rules of procedure: