The Parliament's Committee on Independent Institutions sought the views of political parties on the resolution submitted by Baarah MP Ali Shujau on behalf of the government.
Political parties have expressed various views on the ruling People's National Congress (PNC) resolution to cap the number of parliament members, which was discussed today.
The current parliament has 93 members, with the number increasing every five years due to changes in the population.
The Parliament's Committee on Independent Institutions sought the views of political parties on the resolution submitted by Baarah MP Ali Shujau on behalf of the government.
Members of The Democrats, Adhaalath Party, Maldives Reform Movement (MRM), Maldives Development Alliance (MDA), and Maldives National Party (MNP) were summoned to the committee.
Speaking on behalf of The Democrats, Vice President Aishath Alaika Adnaan stated that increasing the number of MPs would burden the state budget. The party's manifesto includes a solution to this issue.
Alaika said that any constitutional amendment should address problems in representation, such as designating members from the entire atoll and providing slots for political parties in parliament.
"Many people in constituencies may believe that The Democrats should be in parliament. So the ballot paper should provide for voting for either a party or an individual," she said.
Registrar of Adhaalath Party, Adam Mohamed suggested limiting the number of parliament members and reviewing it every 10 years.
He highlighted that although the majority of the Maldivian population are women, there are often only three women in parliament.
He proposed establishing a quota to increase women's representation in parliament. “When making such an amendment, members should also consider setting a quota for women,” he said.
Mohamed also highlighted the importance of allocating slots for people with disabilities and those in technical fields.
President of the Maldives Reform Movement (MRM), Faris Maumoon commended the government's efforts to reduce the number of parliament members.
He suggested making the parliament bicameral, with an upper and lower house, without increasing the total number of members.
Faris also called for resolving issues in the election process, including the matter of permanent addresses, as some members win seats with as few as 200 votes.
He suggested creating a national list and allocating quotas for women and professionals as well. Faris highlighted that some members advocating for to keep the current number may be motivated by self interest.
Both the Maldives Development Alliance (MDA) and the Maldives National Party (MNP) supported limiting the number of members but opposed changing the current allocation of members for different atolls.
MNP had proposed reducing the number of parliament members to 77, the number set during the drafting of the current Constitution.
The Committee on Independent Institutions also invited the People's National Front (PNF), formed by former President Abdulla Yameen, to the meeting. However, PNF did not attend.
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