No worry about dismissal, but govt graft probe needed: Nasheed
After the media reported on Saturday evening that Nasheed's removal had begun, The Democrats accused the government of fraud and called for an investigation.
By
Mohamed Muzayyin Nazim
Speaker of the Parliament Mohamed Nasheed said on Sunday that he is not concerned about MDP's resumption of the work to remove him from the post, but that corruption in the current government should be investigated.
After the defeat of MDP in the presidential election, the talk of no confidence motion against Nasheed started at the last meeting of the MDP National Council. The MDP Parliamentary Group (PG) meeting held on Sunday approved the motion.
In a series of messages he sent to MDP members, Nasheed said that he has no problem with being sacked as the Speaker of Parliament. An MDP member has shared screenshots of some of the messages with Atoll Times.
"There is no problem in moving a no-confidence motion against me again. However, all allegations of corruption in the government of President Solih should be investigated. They should be punished," Nasheed wrote in a message to an MDP member on Saturday.
MDP members described the messages as an "act of intimidation".
After the media reported on Saturday evening that Nasheed's removal had begun, The Democrats accused the government of fraud and called for an investigation into the scandals.
A motion of no confidence in the Speaker of Parliament must be signed by not less than one-fourth of the total number of members of Parliament, or 22 members. He may be removed from office only if the resolution of removal is passed by a majority of the members present and voting in a session of Parliament.
This is the second time this year that the MDP has filed a motion to remove Nasheed from office.
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After the first round of the presidential election last month, the impeachment motion filed in June was withdrawn
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The MDP's PG decided to withdraw the case after the MDP won second place in the first round and Nasheed's Democrats came third with 15,000 votes
MDP members again began calling for Nasheed's removal at the National Council meeting held after MDP's defeat in the second round of elections. Soon after, some members started discussions to bring the issue back to parliament.
The MDP members now believe that the Speaker should be from the majority party in parliament. They are also dissatisfied with the way Nasheed is running the parliament.
