Parl. Secretariat silent on status of session; MMC bill still pending

Parliament Secretariat continues to be silent over whether Parliament sitting will continue for this session.

Normal procedures for the Parliament dictates that in the last sitting of the Parliament for the year, MPs will pass the state budget for next year. This had been followed procedure for the past years.

Parliament had passed the state budget on the 22nd of this month. Based on previous procedures, Wednesday’s sitting would be the last sitting for this year. However, as the Speaker had not announced that Parliament is in recess, it is unclear whether sittings will continue. Parliament Secretariat had not issued a confirmation either.

Parliament Majority Leader and Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM) Parliamentary Group Leader Ahmed Nihan Hussain Manik reported to RaajjeMV that he was unaware Parliament had gone into recess. Noting that Speaker is yet to make an announcement on it, he said he could not make a statement on the matter.

Experts say the Parliament will go to recess after MPs vote on the bill on forming Maldives Media Commission (MMC). MMC is to be formed after disbanding Maldives Media Council (MMC) and Maldives Broadcasting Commission (MBC).

When questioned about the bill, MP Nihan said the Parliamentary Group is yet to deliberate on the bill.

The last session of Parliament for this year began on October and must be concluded by end of November.

The Parliament had already heard the first reading of the bill. Then the bill must go to the preliminary debate, after which it will be sent to the relevant committee to be analyzed. The committee will send a report after their proceedings on which the MPs would vote.

Based on past performance, MPs had even voted on bills mere 24 hours after it was submitted to the Parliament.