Wednesday’s sitting also cancelled after Eva calls in sick

The parliamentary sitting scheduled for Wednesday has also been canceled subsequent to Deputy Speaker Eva Abdulla calling in sick.

The Parliament had been scheduled to hear the no-confidence motion submitted by the MDP against their former leader, Parliament Speaker Mohamed Nasheed on Sunday, and again, on Monday. However, Deputy Speaker Eva, Nasheed’s cousin and fellow Democrats member, called in sick. She informed the Parliament that she was recovering from dengue, which she was diagnosed with last week.

Parliament’s Secretary General Fathimath Niusha decided the sitting cannot be held without Eva there to chair it. The motion was postponed to Wednesday.

Parliament Secratariate’s Communications Director Hassan Ziyau has confirmed to Sun that Wednesday’s sitting has now been canceled, subsequent to Eva calling in sick again.

The parliament, on Tuesday, was scheduled to move forward with the work on the state budget as Eva had called in sick for Tuesday as well. However, MDP MPs, had now allowed the sitting to proceed.

At the counsel of the Attorney General, Finance Minister Ibrahim Ameer had decided against attending the parliament to present the proposed budget for next year.

Attorney General Ibrahim Riffath, in his counsel, said he does not believe any other work of the parliament can be tabled for sitting, and proceeded, while the no-confidence motion against Nasheed is pending.

He detailed that the sitting on the no-confidence motion must be presided over by the deputy speaker, as per the regulation, while the regulation stipulates the way forward if the deputy speaker is indisposed.

However, Parliament’s Secretary General Niusha does not believe any lawmaker apart from the deputy speaker can preside over the sitting.

MDP claims another lawmaker can preside over the sitting if the deputy speaker is indisposed. The party has sought the opinion of the Supreme Court on the matter.

MDP, which holds the majority in the parliament, has also decided against cooperating with any other parliamentary works than the no-confidence motion, and to not endorse the cabinet of the incoming administration if the motion remains stalled.