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Parliament passes Judge Privileges Bill

30 April 2019, MVT 11:03
An aerial view of the parliament, PHOTO: MIHAARU FILES
30 April 2019, MVT 11:03

The parliament on Monday, passed a bill submitted by Velidhoo MP Riyaz Rasheed granting state privileges to judges who lawfully retire.

The bill was passed by 25 out of 56 MPs voting in favour of the bill. While two lawmakers had decided to cast swing votes , main coalition party Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) was absent from the vote.

The bill was passed following revisions by the parliamentary committee and amassed large amounts of public criticism over social media.

As MDP is against the bill, it is speculated that the matter will be brought to light once more during the 19th parliament term, in which MDP secured a supermajority during the recent parliamentary elections.

Moreover, the public questions whether President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih would ratify the bill as it is.

The sitting marks the end of the term for the 85 members elected in 2014. A one-month recess will commence after the session, which is also the final session of the first parliamentary term of 2019.

The year's second term will commence in June after the 87 members recently elected to the nineteenth parliament take their oath of office on May 28.

Parliament's Secretary General Fathimath Niusha recently issued a warning that any bills that remain unresolved by the end of the ongoing parliamentary term would become void.

Unresolved bills include the presidential commission's bill, whistleblower protection bill, education bill, children's rights protection bill, child justice bill and the bill regarding evidence.

If declared void, Niusha stated that such bills must be resubmitted by the government or an MP.

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