LIVE: Abdul Raheem elected as Parliament Speaker, Nazim as Deputy Speaker

12:40: PNC's MP Ahmed Nazim is elected as Deputy Speaker of Parliament with 80 votes. MDP's Ahmed Didi received 12 votes. There were no invalid votes.

12:38:

12:29: 92 members voted to elect the Deputy Speaker. 1 member, Meedhoo MP Ahmed Siyam, abstained.

12:29: Voting for electing the Deputy Speaker has concluded. The same five member committee will conduct the vote counting.

12:29:

12:24:

12:14: Candidates for the post of Deputy Speaker are Dhiggaru MP Ahmed Nazim from PNC and Maradhoo MP Ahmed Didi from MDP.

12:14: Voting has begun to elect Deputy Speaker of Parliament.

12:02: Abdul Raheem received 71 votes, while Nazil received 14 votes. Number of invalid votes is at 7.

12:02: Vote counting has been concluded.

11:53:

11:51: Secretary General announced that 93 members were present for the vote to elect Speaker. 92 members voted. 1 member abstained: Meedhoo MP Ahmed Siyam who was presiding over the sitting.

11:49: Committee of five members begin counting votes. The five members on the committee are Feydhoo MP Ibrahim Didi, Maamigili MP Gasim Ibrahim, Hanimaadhoo MP Abdul Ghafoor Moosa, North Maafannu MP Mohamed Nazim and Velidhoo MP Mohamed Abbas.

11:48: Voting for the post of Speaker has concluded.

11:48:

11:45:

11:26: Voting is ongoing. Candidates for the post of Speaker are Fonadhoo MP Abdul Raheem Abdulla (PNC) and South Hithadhoo MP Ibrahim Nazim (MDP).

11:25: A transparent box has been placed to cast the votes in. The Secretary General displayed that the box is empty to all MPs before voting commenced.

11:23: Cameras in the chamber are being covered so as to allow the vote to be confidential. A five member committee selected by Parliament will count the votes.

11:21: MP Siyam explains how the secret ballot will proceed. Votes for Speaker and Deputy Speaker will be taken separately, with the vote for the Speaker being taken first.

11:19: The first sitting of the 20th Parliament has commenced.

During this sitting, the Speaker of Parliament and the Deputy Speaker will be elected.

The 93 members elected to the 20th People's Majlis took their oath of office at 09:00 hrs this morning.

Ruling People's National Congress (PNC) holds super majority in parliament with a total of 75 members.

PNC nominated Fonadhoo MP Abdul Raheem Abdulla for the post of Speaker and Dhiggaru MP Ahmed Nazim for the post of Deputy Speaker.

Opposition MDP, which holds 12 seats in Parliament, also nominated names for the posts. MDP nominated South Hithadhoo MP Ibrahim Nazil for Parliament Speaker and Maradhoo MP Ahmed Didi for Deputy Speaker.

The sitting is adjourned at the moment to allow the Secretariat to print the ballot papers for the secret vote to elect the Speakers.

The sitting is presided over by the MP who has served for the longest consecutive period, Meedhoo MP Ahmed Siyam.