PPM overlooks MP Nasheed’s violation of party whip on state of emergency

Ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) has not taken any action against the Khulhudhuffushi-South MP Mohamed Nasheed, even though he went against the party's three-line whip and abstained from voting on the motion to extend the state of emergency.

38 lawmakers from the ruling PPM and Maldivian Development Alliance (MDA) coalition had voted to add a 30-day extension to the original 15-day state of emergency declared by the president on February 5. PPM had issued a three-line whip prior to the vote on the motion to extend the state of emergency.

However, when the amended motion was put to vote in the parliament, MP Nasheed had abstained from voting even though he was present in the session at the time of voting.

A PPM lawmaker had shared with Mihaaru that no one was interested in taking action against MP Nasheed for violating the three-line whip issued by the party.

He also said that it was not considered as a serious offence. But PPM had previously taken action against MP’s violating three-line whips issued by the party.

PPM’s disciplinary committee’s head and the deputy minister of the Islamic Ministry Ali Waheed had also said that he had no knowledge of a case against MP Nasheed being lodged at the committee.

Meanwhile PPM’s parliamentary group leader, Villimale MP Ahmed Nihan had said that MP Nasheed had worked with the party’s parliamentary group until the motion to extend the state of emergency was voted on. He added that, since MP Nasheed had chosen to share his reservations about the motion with parliamentary group instead of voicing his concerns on public media, the party had decided not to take any action against him for violating the party whip.

According to the regulations of the ruling party, if an MP votes in violation of a three-line whip issued by the party, the disciplinary committee could oversee the situation and take necessary actions against the individual.

The actions taken by the disciplinary committee include expulsion from the party, demotion from top parliamentary committees and issuing of warnings and asking for official apologies.