Speaker suggests out-of-term sitting for cabinet consent

Parliament Speaker Mohamed Aslam has suggested an out-of-term sitting to give consent to the cabinet ministers of President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu.

While the third term of the current parliamentary session has been extended three times, Thursday, December 28, marks the conclusion of the final parliamentary term for the year.

Despite Thursday being the last day of the final parliamentary term for the year, the parliament did not give consent to the cabinet on its agenda for the last day's session.

Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), which holds the majority in parliament, is facing allegations of obstructing state proceedings by delaying the consent to the cabinet.

Speaker Aslam, while commencing Thursday's sitting, announced that the consent for the cabinet remains pending.

He added that if the Government Oversight Committee completes its assessment report on the ministers, and requests for an extraordinary sitting outside of the parliamentary term, a sitting would be scheduled as such.

The consent for the current government's 22 ministers was submitted for parliamentary approval on November 20, 2023.

Although the matter received approval at the committee level, the parliament chair reverted the issue back to the committee, citing incompleteness in the report.

Subsequently, the committee has not reconvened for another meeting to discuss and provide consent to the cabinet.