Majlis holds session to extend duration of Act on General Regulations

The People’s Majlis will hold a special session tomorrow to extend the duration of the Act on General Regulations, reported the Majlis Administration.

According to the Act on General Regulations, it will cease to have effect on the 5th of August 2012, and if the duration of applicability is not extended, a number of regulations currently in operation will lose statutory basis tomorrow night at 00:00 hours.

People’s Majlis Administration said that the Regulation Committee of the Majlis had requested to hold a session on the matter, and that the Committee had prepared a Report on the issue. Speaker of the Majlis Abdullah Shahid decided to hold a special session at 10:30 tomorrow morning, in which the Majlis shall deliberate on the Report and hopefully extend the duration of the Act on General Regulation.

The Majlis Administration reported that a letter has been sent to all Members of the Majlis today to inform them of the session tomorrow.

Regulations whose basis lie in the Act on General Regulations include regulations which deal with fundamental rights of the people, and also regulations that govern activities and dealings of some State institutions.

The letter sent by Majlis Administration to Members informing about tomorrow’s session states that regulations necessary for dispensing justice, and for economic, social and educational sectors, and also for regulating political parties would lose statutory basis, and consequently their legality, if the duration of Act on General Regulation is not extended.

Sessions of the People’s Majlis have been temporarily put on hold as the Maldivian Democratic Party parliamentarians repeatedly disrupt sessions, saying that “the Majlis cannot be continued”. Although there was a meeting of Political Party Leaders last night to find a solution to the problem, MDP refused to allow a peaceful continuation of the Majlis.