The opposition coalition's lawmakers have commenced efforts to gather the 42 signatories required to file a motion of no confidence against Parliament Speaker Abdulla Maseeh.
Following amendments to the parliamentary regulations last year, 42 signatures are needed to file the motion against the speaker, whereas previously only 15 were required.
Jumhooree Party's deputy leader and Kinbidhoo MP Abdulla Riyaz stated in an interview given to local media Mihaaru, that the opposition is working to impeach MP Maseeh. He expressed confidence that the opposition will also receive help from members in both the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) and Maldives Development Alliance (MDA) to achieve it.
Riyaz also said that the new government, which will be sworn in on November 17, should make it a priority to attend to parliamentary issues, the first of which is to impeach Maseeh. In reference to the Supreme Court's verdict on Monday to reinstate four unseated legislators over floor-crossing, Riyaz added that there was hope that the remaining eight lawmakers who were also ousted would be reinstated eventually.
Soon after their seats were reinstated on Monday, some of the opposition parliamentarians declared that they will restart the efforts to impeach Parliament Speaker Abdulla Maseeh.
Speaking to the press outside the Supreme Court, MP Abdul Latheef Mohamed stated that, "God willing, we will take a motion of no confidence vote against Abdulla Maseeh. We will restore all the laws passed in violation of the constitution."
MP Mohamed Ameeth voice similar sentiments and stated that the Supreme Court's ruling in their favour is proof that the "unseated" parliamentarians have been speaking the truth all along. He added that Speaker Maseeh and Deputy Speaker Moosa Manik should resign from their posts voluntarily.
He also called on the top court to conclude the cases for the remaining parliamentarians who were declared unseated by the Elections Commission.
While the Supreme Court has reinstated four from the 12 unseated parliamentarians, hearings for the remaining eight have not yet commenced.
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