Parliament holds one sitting after long holiday, cancels the next

The Parliament has cancelled the sitting scheduled for Tuesday, which would have been the second sitting after the legislative assembly reconvened the previous day after a long holiday.

 The Parliament had gone into recess for the last 10 days of Ramadan and the Eid al-Fitr holiday after its sitting on March 19. The legislative assembly reconvened for sittings on Monday after an 18-day break.

The only items in the agenda on Monday had been an emergency motion and a resolution submitted by the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).

Kendhoo MP Mauroof Zakir presented an emergency motion demanding the expedition of legislature submitted in May 2024 to ban entries on Israeli passports in protest of Israel’s genocidal acts in Palestine.

But Deputy Speaker Ahmed Nazim rejected the motion citing that it does not meet the criteria for an emergency motion under the Parliament’s Standing Orders.

Next, South Hulhumale’ MP Dr. Ahmed Shamheed presented a resolution seeking the Parliament’s opinion regarding seeking an explanation from the government regarding claims of the decision by the Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA) to print money.

The sitting concluded following a preliminary debate on the resolution.

The Parliament does not have a sitting scheduled for Tuesday, nor any committee meetings except for one – the Public Accounts Committee.

The key committee is scheduled for a meeting “to review pending cases.”