PNC’s Azaan back in key committees after March removal for rebelling against party line

Ruling People’s National Congress (PNC) lawmaker Ahmed Azaan Marzooq has been appointed back to two key parliamentary committees he was kicked out of back in March over major differences in opinion with the government which saw him violate three-line whips issued by the ruling party’s parliamentary group.

Azaan had been removed by the PNC from two of the most powerful parliamentary committees back on March 3 - the Public Accounts Committee and the Security Services Committee (241 Committee) – and shuffled to the Privileges and Ethics Committee and the Petition Committee.

But opening the parliamentary sitting on Tuesday, Speaker Abdul Raheem Abdulla announced that the PNC has made changes to its representatives in committees.

As such, Azaan has replaced Vilimale’ MP Mohamed Ismail in the Security Services Committee and North Henveiru MP Ahmed Aifan in the Public Accounts Committee.

Both Mohamed Ismail and Aifan was replaced Azaan in the two key committees back in March.

The move to kick Azaan out of the key parliamentary committees had come a week after he rebelled against the party line and refused to back a controversial bill to downsize the Supreme Court bench from seven to five justices.

Azaan had been seen quietly walking out of the chamber as the voting began on the contentious judicature bill, despite getting threatened with disciplinary action by the PNC and getting kicked out of the WhatsApp group for the party's parliamentary group, after he chose to skip the previous day's vote when the bill was accepted into the Parliament.

In a statement regarding the decision, Azaan said that he constitutes to stand by the promise he made during his parliamentary campaign - to prioritize the interests of his constituents and the nation above all else.

Azaan said he believes the bill violates the Constitution, and that supporting it would be in violation of Article 75 of the Constitution, which declares that parliamentarians should be guided in their actions by considerations of national interest and public welfare foremost, and should not exploit their official positions in any way for their own benefit or for the benefit of those with whom they have special relations.

The journalist-turned-lawmaker had appeared to face possible expulsion from the PNC and the loss of his parliamentary seat at the time.

However, while the PNC’s steering committee for his constituency issued a statement condemning his actions, the ruling party did not impose any overt disciplinary action against Azaan.

Opposition leaders, including former president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom, had pledged to back Azaan in the byelection if he lost his seat.