Monday's sitting of parliament was adjourned amid disorder after Vilufushi MP Hassan Afeef took the speaker's chair to preside in his capacity as the eldest lawmaker.
Since the beginning of the 19th parliament, speaker Mohamed Nasheed does not return to preside over sittings after the afternoon break. Deputy speaker Eva Abdulla or Vilufushi MP Hassan Afeef presides in the afternoon sessions. It was up to Afeef to preside in the afternoon session on Monday.
When the sitting resumed with Afeef presiding, the item up for debate was a no-confidence motion filed by the opposition against attorney general (AG) Ibrahim Riffath.
But disorder ensued when opposition MPs started clamoring and levelling various allegations against Riffath, who was present in the chamber to speak in his defence.
"Honourable speaker, the conditions here do not allow me to ask questions and debate," said Felidhoo MP Fazul Rasheed from the opposition People's National Congress (PNC), who was speaking at the time.
But he also defended the actions of fellow opposition MPs who were gathered in front of the speaker's desk. They were protesting because the AG was refusing to answer questions, he said.
"When the honourable MPs allow the attorney general the opportunity, I [assume] he will answer," Afeef said in response to Fazul and the other MPs.
But when order could not be restored, Afeef announced that the sitting has concluded. As such, Monday's sitting as well was forced to end without calling a vote on the no-confidence motion against the attorney general.
The AG first responded to the no-confidence motion in writing last Wednesday, which sparked a major debate, after which speaker Nasheed decided to seek an advisory opinion from the Supreme Court.
Riffath appeared in parliament when the motion was tabled in the agenda for Monday's sitting. But when the sitting began, Naifaru MP Ahmed Shiyam from the Progressive Party of Maldives along with other opposition MPs stood up and started protesting loudly with accusations against Riffath.
Shiyam and the other opposition MPs accused Riffath of forfeiting the Maldives' defence in a maritime boundary dispute with Mauritius over the neighbouring Chagos archipelago.
When the opposition MPs started protesting, some MPs from the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party also raised their voices in response. At that point, it turned into a major quarrel.
Before advising the opposition MPs, speaker Nasheed first warned Kendhikulhudhoo MP Ahmed Easa. Despite repeatedly advising Naifaru MP Shiyam afterwards, Nasheed did not call out his name to expel him from the chamber. Instead, he adjourned proceedings to consult with political parties.
"Honourable MPs, listen. When we are able to start our work today and proceed, I believe it will pave the way for what you're saying," Nasheed said, advising Shiyam and other opposition MPs.
Before adjourning, Nasheed also advised some MDP MPs.
When the sitting resumed, Madduvari MP Adam Shareef from the opposition PNC - who submitted the no-confidence motion - refused to present motion to begin the debate. He sought to clarify why Riffath appeared after previously submitting a written defence.
Responding to Shareef, Speaker Nasheed said Riffath decided to appear in person after he learned of the legal dispute over the written response. As he was now present, there was no dispute, Nasheed said, and instructed Shareef to present the motion.
But Shareef repeated the question about the reason why Riffath decided to appear in person.
"Honourable MP, your concern or what you want to clarify has, in my view, been cleared up. The attorney general is here. So that is clear now," Nasheed said, responding to Shareef for the second time.
Several other MPs also raised points of order and complained that it was unclear why the attorney general was present after previously submitting a response in writing. The complaints continued until the sitting was adjourned for the tea break.
