Shahid: Decision not to hold secret ballot on Nazim’s dismissal is to ensure transparency
The Parliament Secretariat has confirmed receipt of a resolution to remove Nazim from office on the 14th of this month, with the General Purpose Committee subsequently approving a 50-minute debate period for the motion, allowing each member a single three-minute speaking opportunity.
Member of Parliament for the Hulhudhoo constituency, Mohamed Shahid, addresses the floor of the People's Majlis. | Majilis
The Chairperson of the Parliament's General Purpose Committee and MP for Hulhudhoo constituency, Mohamed Shahid, has stated that the vote on the no-confidence motion against Deputy Speaker Ahmed Nazim will not be conducted by secret ballot in order to ensure greater transparency.
The Parliament’s General Purposes Committee on Wednesday evening decided to allocate 50 minutes for the debate on the no-confidence motion against Deputy Speaker and Dhiggaru MP Ahmed Nazim, with an additional 10 minutes granted for him to respond to the allegations.
During the committee discussion regarding the debate duration, Maavashu MP Ahmed Shakir questioned the decision to allocate only 10 minutes to Nazim. He raised concerns over whether 10 minutes provided sufficient time for a proper defense. Furthermore, he questioned why the vote to remove the Deputy Speaker would not be conducted by secret ballot, given that the individual is initially appointed to the position through a secret vote.
Responding to Shakir's inquiry, the member for Holhudhoo constituency, Abdulla Sattar Mohamed, who introduced the motion, explained that the proposal was made because the regulations do not specify a mandatory timeframe for providing a response. Meanwhile, Committee Chair Shahid suggested that the 10-minute response time allotted to Nazim could be split, with five minutes granted at the start of the debate and the remaining five minutes during the proceedings. Shahid further noted that since the regulations do not define a minimum required duration, he saw no issue with allocating 10 minutes for Nazim to respond.
Furthermore, Shahid stated that while the vote to appoint the Deputy Speaker of Parliament is conducted by secret ballot, the vote for their removal is not kept secret in order to ensure greater transparency in the process.
The Parliament's General Purposes Committee has approved a total of 50 minutes for the debate regarding this matter, with each member allotted a single three-minute speaking opportunity. The Parliament Secretariat confirmed receiving a resolution to remove Nazim from office on the 14th of this month. On the same day, the Secretariat stated that the proceedings would be conducted in accordance with the Constitution and the Parliament's Rules of Procedure.
