Temporary official residences established for parliament speaker, chief justice

The government has established temporary official residences for the Speaker of Parliament Mohamed Nasheed and the Chief Justice Ahmed Muhthasim Adnan.

The temporary official residence allocated for the speaker and former President Nasheed is Muraidhooge in the Maafannu ward in capital Male', whereas an apartment from Rehendhi Apartments was assigned as the temporary residence for Chief Justice Adnan.

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih ratified the first amendment to the Parliamentary Privileges and Powers Act and the sixth amendment legislation to the Judges Act of Maldives on July 1, which requires the establishment of official residences to the speaker and Chief Justice.

The legislations were passed by the People’s Majlis during its 14th sitting of the second session of the ongoing year, on June 21.

The amendments detail guidelines under which the authorities must strengthen the security and safety of the Chief Justice and family, going on to mandate the authorities to provide personal security to the Chief Justice through the Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF).

The state-endorsed bill to establish an official residence for the speaker was submitted by MP for Feydhoo constituency Mohamed Nihad, who stated that the amendment is crucial for the security and safety of the parliament speaker. He went on to highlight the purposes of bringing the amendment, noting that an official residence for the speaker must be allocated by the state in order to strengthen the security being provided to Nasheed, the speaker who was recently targeted by a group believed to be extremists.

The legislation added two more clauses to Section 27 of the Majlis laws and regulations, which entails the need to establish an official residence for the speaker of parliament as well as family – including spouse, children and parents - as well as mandating the state to arrange all costs for the residence and appointing required staff.

The change comes following an assassination attempt on the incumbent speaker. Nasheed was targeted with an assassination attempt on May 6, as he was heading out to attend an event in an island. The attack, which saw a remote-controlled IED explode near his residence in the center of Malé City, caused serious injuries to the ex-president who was rushed to the hospital within seven minutes after being knocked to the ground by the blast, which was dubbed far more powerful than the explosion in Sultan Park, 2007.

Sources have reported that authorities are working to secure the regions and ensure safety measures are in place.