Parliament gives go-ahead for no-confidence motion against AG

The Parliament confirmed Monday it has decided to accept a no-confidence motion submitted against Attorney General Ibrahim Riffath, alleging he failed to act in the best interests of the Maldivian people in the delimitation of the disputed maritime area between Maldives and Mauritius.

The motion was submitted last week by the opposition alliance, made up of MPs from Speaker Mohamed Nasheed’s Fikuregge Dhirun faction and the opposition Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), Jumhoory Party (JP), and Maldives National Party (MNP).

In a tweet on Monday morning, the Parliament acknowledged they had received the no-confidence motion, and said the motion would be processed in accordance with the constitution and parliamentary regulations.

އެޓަރނީ ޖެނެރަލް އަލްއުސްތާޛު އިބްރާހީމް ރިފްޢަތުގެ އިތުބާރު ނެތްކަމުގެ މައްސަލައެއް ރައްޔިތުންގެ މަޖިލީހަށް ވަނީ ލިބިފައެވެ. މި މައްސަލަ ޤާނޫނު އަސާސީއާއި ރައްޔިތުންގެ މަޖިލީހުގެ ޤަވާއިދުގައިވާ ގޮތުގެ މަތިން ކުރިއަށްގެންދެވޭނެ ވާހަކަ ދަންނަވަމެވެ.

— People's Majlis (@mvpeoplesmajlis) May 15, 2023

The opposition alliance said they submitted the no-confidence motion because Riffath had been negligent in protecting Maldives’ economic zone, and because the government had approved massive compensations to parties, in a manner damaging to the Maldivian people.

The opposition alliance said that despite his claims otherwise, Riffath had worked to protect the interests of another, though the Maldives’ exclusive economic zone had been already defined on the Maldives Maritime Zones Act.

The main ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has warned it will take action against MPs who collaborate with the opposition in violation of the party’s constitution and parliamentary group’s regulations.

The party alleged the motion was submitted following the failure of the PPM-PNC coalition’s serial protests.

Parliamentary regulations require the signatures of minimum 10 parliamentarians to submit a no-confidence motion against a government minister. Passing the motion required the vote of half of the parliamentarians. The opposition therefore needs the vote of 43 out of 87 parliamentarians.

The Fikuregge Dhirun faction has 12 parliamentarians, the PPM-PNC coalition has seven, JP has three, and MNP has three.