MDP asks to amend agenda to include Nasheed's confidence motion
The MDP has filed a petition in the Supreme Court rejecting the decision of the Secretary-General that no one other than Eva can preside over the session.
By
Mohamed Muzayyin Nazim
The MDP Parliamentary Group (PG) on Monday requested the Parliament to amend the agenda of the Tuesday session to include the issue of the impeachment of the Speaker of the Parliament.
The MDP Parliamentary Group Leader, Hithadhoo North MP Mohammd Aslam wrote a letter to the Secretary General of Parliament Fathimath Niusha.
The last two days, the Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Eva Abdullah, was ‘unwell’, and so Nasheed’s vote of no-confidence had not progressed. The matter is now on the agenda for Wednesday's session.
Aslam said in the letter that Majlis SG Niusha, after announcing the cancellation of the session scheduled for Nasheed's case on Tuesday as the resolution must be submitted to the next official session after the expiry of the 14-day notice as per Rule 205(c) of the Rules of Procedure , Niusha had said that day that the resolution would be re-agendad for Monday’s session.
However, Monday's session was canceled and the agenda of Tuesday's session was sent to the members. So in the letter, he asked Niusha for two things:
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To explain why Nasheed's case was not scheduled for Tuesday's session
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In accordance with the rules, the agenda should be amended to include Nasheed's case in Tuesday's session
As per Rule 54 of the Rules of Procedure, the Speaker has the power to set the agenda. The agenda must be posted on the parliament's website at least six hours before the start of the session.
Nasheed's case was postponed to Wednesday and was on the agenda on Monday and Sunday. However, the two sessions were not held as:
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The Deputy Speaker of the Parliament, Eva Abdullah, who is to preside over the session on Nasheed’s case, is absent
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According to the rules of the Parliament, the Deputy Speaker is required to preside over the no-confidence motion directly
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In the absence of the Deputy Speaker, the Rules of Procedure do not specify what to do next; Therefore, the decision of the Secretary-General Fathimath Niusha was that no one other than Eva could preside over the session
The Parliament said on Monday that the case was agendaed for Wednesday, as Eva will be on leave on Tuesday as well.
Tuesday’s session will cover:
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Submission of Supplementary Budget
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Presentation of next year's budget
The MDP has filed a petition in the Supreme Court rejecting the decision of the Secretary-General that no one other than Eva can preside over the session.
The court on Monday heard the case and the party asked the court to rule that no further session can be held without deciding the case.
