President ratifies contentiously passed anti-defection bill and Judges Act amendment

President Abdulla Yameen has ratified the contentious anti-defection bill and amend to the Judges Act, which was passed under contentious circumstances by parliament on Tuesday.

The President’s Office revealed this by including it in the government gazette on Wednesday afternoon, making the both the bill and the amendment, law.

Both the bill and the amendment were proposed in parliament last week by pro-government MPs Ahmed Nihan and Abdul Raheem Abdulla, respectively.

The bill stipulates that lawmakers elected on party tickets, will lose their seat if they leave their party, get expelled, or switch parties.

The amendments to the Judges Act seeks to remove judges, if convicted of a criminal offence and the ruling is upheld by the Supreme Court.

While there has been heavy debate on the lawfulness of both the bill and amendment, with the opposition highlighting its violation of the constitution and existing statutes.

The anti-defection bill violates the political parties act and is alleged to be a political move to disqualify lawmakers aligned with the opposition.

Opposition MP Rozaina Adam noted that the bill will take effect from 13th July last year onwards, despite it being proposed last week. 12 lawmakers estranged from the government since that date onwards can now be unseated.

The amendment to the Judges Act has also been criticized for its obstruction of Article 154 of the constitution, which stipulates that judges can only be disqualified for incompetence and misconduct.

This amendment coincides with the government’s arrest of two Supreme Court justices, who are accused of accepting bribes in a ‘conspiracy to overthrow the government’.

Further, the sitting where both laws were passed had been boycotted by the opposition and its attendance included 39 lawmakers, not even half of the 85-member seat.