Parliament decides to proceed with amendment to allow the broadcast of JSC meetings

Parliament has decided to accept and proceed with the amendment proposed by Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) Parliamentary group member Maafannu-south MP Ibrahim Rasheed to change the Judicial Services Commission (JSC) regulation such that it permits the State media to broadcast their meetings.

The amendment was accepted by a narrow margin, with a vote of 26 in favour, out of a total of 54 MPs who took part in the vote. While 25 pro-government MPs voted against accepting the amendment, three MPs chose to abstain.

The amendment proposes to change article 19 of the JSC regulation, amending it to state that all meeting of the commission shall be carried out in a clear and transparent manner, and that the meetings held by the commission shall be broadcasted by the state media. The stations stated as State media are the two stations under the Maldives Broadcasting Corporation; Television Maldives (TVM), and the state radio station Dhivehi Raajjeyge Adu.

The amendment has now been forwarded to the Parliament Committee on Independent Institutions for review.