Former President Mohamed Nasheed says that any expenditure on state institutions for 2018 is unconstitutional.
In a tweet posted in Dhivehi after the Parliament passed the MVR 27.9 billion budget, the former President noted the budget was passed without the legally mandated number of votes. As such, only 40 MPs were present in the session at the time of voting, with 39 actually casting their votes.
Qaanoon bunaa minvarah budget akah vote eh nulibunu. January 2018 in feshigen ministry thakun kharadhu kuraanee qaanoon aai khilaafah
— Mohamed Nasheed (@MohamedNasheed) November 22, 2017
Joint Opposition parties earlier in the day filed case in Supreme Court, stating that state budget for 2018 must be passed constitutionally, as per clause 87 (c) of the Constitution. Clause 87 (c) of the Constitution states that any law that must be followed by citizens can only be passed with two-thirds of Parliament present and voting in the session.
Budget was passed amid warnings given by Finance Minister Ahmed Munawwar, who said budgets will be slashed for constituencies represented by those MPs who did not vote for the budget.
