Committee votes to close Parliament for Ramadan

The General Purpose Committee on Thursday voted in favor of shortening the current Parliament session and going into recess through the month of Ramadan.

The vote followed an amendment to the Parliament’s standing orders proposed the previous day by South Maafannu MP Abdulla Rifau (Bochey) – a lawmaker from the ruling People’s National Congress (PNC).

The Parliament holds three sessions in a year. The sessions are currently held as follows:

• First session: February 1-May15
• Second session: June 1-August 15
• Third session: October 1-November 30

Rifau proposed changing the dates as follows:

• First session: January 1-January 31
• Second session: April 1-July 31
• Third session: September 1-November 30

The Parliament had opened for the year on February 6. Citing this, Rifau proposed concluding the session at the end of February so that the Parliament is in recess during Ramadan – which is expected to begin on March 1, and holding the rest of the sessions as he proposed.

The committee passed the amendments without any changes on Thursday.

The committee’s chair, Hulhudhoo MP Mohamed Shahid (Shad) said that the main purpose of the proposed changes is to enable lawmakers to engage in religious practices and prioritize religious observances during the holy month.

But Kanditheemu MP Ameen Faisal, a lawmaker from the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), spoke against the amendment. He opinioned that working for a living is in line with religious obligations, and that Muslims have even fought great wars during the holy month.

“There’s nothing in our Islamic history to support abandoning everything else the entire month of Ramadan and focusing solely on religious affairs. This is not something I am in favor of at all,” he said.

Ameen noted that even civil servants are required to work the first 20 days of Ramadan, and suggested keeping the Parliament in session during the month, but with shorter work hours.

However, PNC members, who hold a majority in the committee as well as the Parliament itself, rejected Ameen’s suggestions. They said that Rifau’s amendments would not result in any changes to the total working days of the Parliament.

Some members also questioned the phrasing of the amendments, asking if an amendment will need to be made each year to close the Parliament for Ramadan.

But Holhudhoo MP Abdul Sattar Mohamed said that there will be no overlap with Ramadan until at least 2029, and that therefore no changes will be required until then.

Rifau’s amendments were passed by the committee with a vote of 6-1.

The Parliament is usually in session for Ramadan, but has work hours capped at two hours each day.

After he assumed office in 2023, President Muizzu decreed to have schools closed throughout Ramadan, and to have government offices closed the last 10 days of the month.