The government has proposed that the ongoing state of emergency in the Maldives be extended, which was supported by pro-government parliamentarians.
Parliament Speaker Abdulla Maseeh had read out a letter requesting as such from President Abdulla Yameen at the special parliamentary sitting held on Monday.
During the deliberations that followed, MP Ahmed Nihan, the ruling party’s parliamentary group leader, proposed that this request be forwarded to a review committee.
MP Nihan’s motion was then voted on and passed with a total of 38 votes from a total of 39 parliamentarians present at the sitting.
The motion has been forwarded to the parliament’s committee on national security. The government requested a 30-day extension to the state of emergency.
The state of emergency was initially declared for 15 days as well, on 5th February. The declaration will be effective until Tuesday.
Parliamentarians aligned with the allied opposition parties boycotted Monday’s vote, on allegations that the sitting itself had been held unlawfully.
MP Ahmed Mahloof sited Article 87 of the constitution to say that the sitting did not have enough parliamentarians to hold a sitting outside session.
“…voting on any matter requiring compliance by citizens shall only be undertaken when more than half of the total membership of the [parliament] are present at the sitting at which the matter is voted upon” Article 87 says.
The 85-seat parliament would therefore require 43 members to be present.
