Three MPs asked to leave parliament chamber for creating disorder

Three members of the parliament were asked to leave the floor on Tuesday, as Speaker Mohamed Nasheed attempted to maintain order inside the chamber.

During the debate session in the afternoon, Mahibadhoo constituency MP Ahmed Thoriq, Nolhivaram constituency MP Mohamed Nasheed and Naifaru constituency MP Ahmed Shiyam failed to follow parliament regulations and deliberately worked to created disruption and chaos despite being told multiple times to maintain accord.

While MP Thoriq was asked to leave the chamber multiple times, he refused to abide and continued to blare a horn, creating unruly disruption. Nasheed then ordered the Sergeant at Arms to escort the parliamentarian outside, where he was to stand facing up against the wall.

Since the beginning of Tuesday’s sitting, opposition members were observably feverish, creating disorder and blaring horns just as they did during Monday’s sitting. The debate in question was sparked as the speaker had joined the meeting scheduled by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) on Tuesday morning, to summon Criminal Court Chief Judge, Ahmed Hailam.

Opposition MPs had alleged Nasheed of trying to influence the verdict hearing in their leader, former President Abdulla Yameen’s money-laundering trial.

However, it is Nasheed’s duty to attend JSC’s meetings as he is a member of the commission, as the Speaker of Parliament.

MP Thoriq was asked to write down that he would “not blare horns in the parliament chamber” 100 times, at Monday's sitting.

These punishments have been receiving both criticism and applause by the public, with some social media users reminiscing “school days”.

Even as he took over the 19th Parliament, Nasheed had stated that the sessions will be run, as one would observe in school and that parliamentarians are required to ask for permission before leaving the chamber.