A no-confidence motion against deputy speaker Eva Abdulla will be tabled in the agenda for tomorrow's sitting of parliament, secretary general Fathmath Niusha said on Monday.
Parliament's standing orders required the impeachment motion to be tabled in today's agenda. But Niusha previously said it was not included in the agenda because the committee tasked with approving procedures for debating the motion has not been reconstituted.
In a letter sent to an MP today, Niusha said it was mandatory under parliament's rules to table Eva's motion in the agenda even if the general affairs committee has yet to determine procedures for conducting the sitting.
"[...] even if the time for debating the motion has not been determined under section 205(f) of parliament's standing orders with reference to section 206, as (c) of the section states that the motion must be presented during the first sitting held on a non-public holiday after providing a 14-day period from the notice date of the motion, I inform you that the motion will be in the agenda for the sitting of parliament to be held tomorrow," Niusha said.
MPs from the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) protested and stopped proceedings when today's sitting continued without Eva's motion on the agenda.
Citing disorder in the chamber, Vilufushi MP Hassan Afeef - who was presiding after speaker Mohamed Nasheed refused to take the chair until his no-confidence motion is decided - concluded the sitting.
While Nasheed has announced his refusal to preside over sittings, parliament's rules state that the speaker of parliament must preside over the sitting with a motion on removing the deputy speaker on the agenda.
Despite the decision to table Eva's motion in tomorrow's agenda before the general affairs committee is reconstituted, the number of MPs who could speak in the debate and the time allocated for each speaker must be determined by the general affairs committee.
However, standing committees have yet to be reconstituted after the departure of 13 MPs from the MDP. Parties have not been able to reach an agreement on the new composition and membership of the committees.
Earlier on Monday, opposition MPs suggested the deadlock could be resolved if the MDP withdraws one of the no-confidence motions filed against deputy speaker Eva or speaker Nasheed.
Speaking at a joint press conference in parliament by MPs from the opposition Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), People's National Congress (PNC), the Jumhooree Party (JP) and the newly-formed The Democrats, Kendhoo MP Ali Hussain said withdrawal of one of the motions was necessary to move forward and noted that speaker Nasheed has expressed the same view.
"There is one way. President Nasheed has also written this in the group. For example, the no-confidence motion against the speaker could be kept and the no-confidence motion against the deputy speaker [could be withdrawn]. Or the no-confidence motion against the deputy speaker could be kept and the no-confidence motion against the speaker [could be withdrawn]. Why don't we [withdraw] either one and proceed with the other?" Ali Hussain asked.
Medhu Henveiru MP Ali Azim said the constitution and parliament's rules do not allow no-confidence motions against the speaker and deputy speaker at the same time.
"The way it can be done even now is to give the opportunity for either one to chair and then proceed," Azim said.
But both MPs said the general affairs committees would have to be reconstituted in either case.
