Parliament establishes new order members leading the session

The Parliament, on Monday, has announced the new order of members who can preside over sittings in circumstances where both the speaker of the deputy speaker are unavailable.

The names of the members, in the respective order, were announced by Speaker Mohamed Aslam while presiding over the 23^rd sitting of this year’s third session held Monday morning. The order of the members is as follows;

1. Meedhoo MP Ahmed Siyam Mohamed
2. Maamigili MP Qasim Ibrahim
3. Eydhafushi MP Ahmed Saleem
4. Hanimaadhoo MP Abdul Ghafoor Moosa
5. Kudahuvadhoo MP Ahmed Amir

Meedhoo MP Siyam, who is president of Maldives Development Alliance (MDA), has served as a parliamentarian consecutively for 18 years. Maamigili MP Qasim, who is president of Jumhoory Party (JP), has served as a parliamentarian consecutively for 14 years. All remaining members have also served as parliamentarians consecutively for 14 years.

As per Article 44 of the parliament’s regulation – five members who will lead the session in circumstances where the speaker and the deputy speaker are unavailable should be established within two weeks of the speaker and deputy speaker being elected, and their names should be announced to the floor.

Article 44 (c) states the length of time the member has served in office should be prioritized when establishing the order of members leading the session. If two members have served the same number of years in office, their age must be considered when ordering their names, with the older member coming first.