10 lawmakers representing government coalition partner Jumhooree Party (JP) were absent at Tuesday’s sitting, which resulted in the failure to call for a vote on the bill to give more legal authority to the presidential commissions due to lack of quorum.
One MP representing main ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) was also absent.
The bill has been scheduled three times now, but the sittings concluded without calling for a vote since at least 43 MPs need to be in attendance to vote on the bill.
The JP members who were absent from Tuesday’s sitting are: Riyaz Rasheed, Hussein Manik Dhon Manik, Ahmed Mubeen, Ilham Ahmed, Ibrahim 'Evila' Hassan, Abdul Latheef 'Sembe' Mohamed, Hussain Shahudhee, Mohamed Hussain, Umar Hussain, and Ahmed Azhaan Fahmy.
MDP lawmaker Mohamed Abdulla also failed to attend the sitting.
Miadhu commission thakuge bill ge vote nunegunee thireegai mivaa membarun haaziru nuvumun. Raiy kulain mark kurevifai evanee haaziru vee membarun.
— ?? ??????? ???? (@Roxeyna) February 26, 2019
Coalition in haaziru nuvanee MDP in Muhamma adhi JP ge 10 membarun. pic.twitter.com/drad68rcRa
Government coalition’s parliamentary group leader Abdulla Riyaz said that is likely that some of their MPs have been embroiled in cases of corruption and therefore are not willing to pass the bill, which will enable the presidential commission on murders and disappearances and the commission on corruption and asset recovery to have more legal authority to fast-track their cases.
Riyaz said that they will penalize the MPs who ignored the coalition’s three-line whip to pass the bill.
