Parliament sitting adjourned due to lack of quorum

The sitting of the People’s Majlis that was scheduled for today, with the inquiries that the Elections Commission (EC) has regarding the yes or no vote to change the governing system of Maldives on the agenda, has been adjourned as the quorum was not reached.

Today is a public holiday at the request of the Election Commission as a large number of government employees and the public have not yet completed their work for and after the Presidential Elections. However, the parliament decided yesterday to hold a session to clarify EC’s requests regarding Hulhudhoo MP, Ilyas Labeeb's resolution calling for a constitutional referendum to decide on changing the governing system.

While the sitting began at 09:00 in the morning, the Speaker of Parliament, Mohamed Nasheed, waited or some time as the quorum was not filled. When the sitting began, only 15 MPs were in attendance in the chamber.

The quorum was not met even after the bell for the lack of quorum was sounded.

“We have waited for the time required. Honourable Members have not come. I am forced to announce that today's sitting is adjourned,” Nasheed said.

“There will be no sitting today.”

He said that they will try to hold a sitting tomorrow as well and that he hopes MPs will attend.

“I do not understand at all why they didn’t attend today,” Nasheed said.

Other things in the agenda today include the bill presented by Ilyas to stop the increase of MPs, and the debate of the bill presented by MDP parliamentary group leader, Mohamed Aslam, to change the selection of the Judicial Service Commission.

In addition to these, the bill presented by Maafannu Uthuru constituency MP Imthiyaz Fahmy, who is from The Democrats, to change the constitution so that they do not have to ask for the people’s opinion regarding any changes made to the governing system after it has been changed was also on the agenda.

The resolution to hold the yes or no vote to change the system before November 2023, was passed by the Parliamentary Committee on the 20th of last month and it was presented to EC on September 21.

The sitting that was scheduled for the 25th last month to clarify the matter was not held due to lack of quorum. After that, the sittings of the parliament was postponed until after the election as many members were campaigning for the second round of the presidential election.

The most vocal advocate for a yes or no vote to change the system of government to a parliamentary one is the Speaker of Parliament, Mohamed Nasheed.

Such a vote was held in 2007 as well. It was decided by the people to continue with the presidential system. During that vote, both Nasheed and Former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayyoom were in favour of the parliamentary system. 

The main reason that led to issues between Nasheed and President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, and ultimately the formation of The Democrats with members that supported Nasheed leaving MDP and forming the party, was a disagreement between what they thought the governing system should be. Nasheed continues to try to change the governing system.