Parliament has in a single day completed the debate on, voted and sent for committee review the amendment to the Constitution submitted by ruling People's National Congress (PNC) on losing parliamentary seats.
Parliament has in a single day completed the debate on, voted and sent for committee review the amendment to the Constitution submitted by ruling People's National Congress (PNC) which will see MPs who cross the floor, leave or are dismissed from their parties lose their parliamentary seats.
Hulhudhoo constituency MP from ruling People's National Congress (PNC) Mohamed Shahid submitted this amendment which states that if a member is elected to the parliament through contesting via a political party, then they will lose their seat if they resign from their party, join a different party or are expelled from the party.
The amendment further states that if an independent MP joins a political party, they, too, will lose their seat.
This bill was sent to parliamentarians and published on the Parliament website last night.
At the start of today's sitting, the first hearing of the bill was held. Debate on the bill was also carried out today. Parliament then voted on the bill and forwarded it to the committee.
In the vote, 69 members voted in favour of the bill, with 12 voting against.
Deputy Speaker of Parliament and MP for Dhiggaru Ahmed Nazim proposed that the bill be sent to the Committee of the Whole House for review. This was seconded by PNC PG leader and Inguraidhoo MP Ibrahim Falah.
Vote taken on this resulted in all 71 members in attendance voting in favour.
Parliament Speaker Abdul Raheem Abdulla announced that the related committee meeting will also be held today, commencing at 12:30 hrs.
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