We will support efforts to confirm Speaker is elected by secret ballot: PPM

Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) has said that it will support the efforts to confirm that the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker of Parliament are elected by secret ballot.

Voting to elect the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker of Parliament has been scheduled for the parliament sitting on 28 April.

Article 82 (a) of the Constitution states that the parliament shall at the first sitting after the general election elect a Speaker and a Deputy Speaker from its members by secret ballot.

Following a request by Speaker of Parliament Abdulla Shahid, the General Committee of the parliament has decided to amend the Parliament Regulation to confirm that the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker are elected by secret ballot.

PPM Parliamentary Group Leader Kinbidhoo MP Moosa Zameer told Sun Online that MPs of PPM will participate in the efforts to amend the Parliament Regulation to confirm that the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker of Parliament are elected by secret ballot.

MPs of PPM who will participate in these efforts at the committee level are Abdul Azeez Jamal Abubakuru, Ali Arif, and Mohamed Rasheed.

Moosa Zameer highlighted the importance of the amendments proposed to the Parliament Regulation, and said that these steps must be followed in any election process.

Meanwhile, opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has also said that it will support these efforts.

The amendment passed by the General Committee, to add a clause to Article 6 of the Parliament Regulation, states that in the secret ballot to elect a Speaker and Deputy Speaker of Parliament, a ballot paper will be counted as invalid if, in addition to marking his vote, an individual includes any drawing, writing, or sign.

It also states that the secret ballot will be organised by a five-member committee appointed by the parliament, who will sign the result sheet once the election process in completed.