Only speaker Mohamed Nasheed could break the deadlock of parliament and resume legislative functions, Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) parliamentary group leader Mohamed Aslam said today.
Nasheed recused himself from presiding over sittings after a no-confidence motion was filed against him. Vilufushi MP Hassan Afeef, who presided since then, has chaired three consecutive sittings. It was the maximum period allowed by the rules for him to preside.
Afeef ended yesterday's sitting without announcing a date for the next sitting. The agenda and notice for today's sitting were not sent to MPs. As such, there is no path at present for holding a sitting of parliament.
"A person did not perform his duty. There is no law to arrest him, take him and keep him there. Then what can we do? Work can resume when the speaker of parliament allows it," Aslam told Adhadhu.
Nasheed, who is also the MDP's president, said at a press briefing yesterday that it would be inappropriate to chair sittings despite the rules allowing it after many MPs signed a motion for impeachment.
"Considering that, it's not appropriate at all, at all, for me to remain as the chair," Nasheed said.
According to parliament's rules, the deputy speaker must preside over a sitting with a no-confidence motion against the speaker. The speaker must preside over a no-confidence motion against the deputy speaker. But Nasheed believes that parliament comes to a halt without anyone to chair when no-confidence motions are submitted against the speaker and deputy speaker at the same time.
"First withdraw the no-confidence motion against the deputy speaker. After that propose the no-confidence motion against me."
But speaking to Adhadhu, Aslam said Nasheed could preside over the no-confidence motion against the deputy speaker Eva Abdulla and that Nasheed was making "childish" excuses.
"Isn't it childish to say as the speaker of parliament, I will do this when you do that? Isn't it like that? It's a bit funny to me," said Aslam, who is also the majority leader of parliament.
Nasheed said at the press conference in parliament yesterday that since Afeef has chaired three consecutive sittings, he cannot preside over sittings that need to be held before parliament breaks for recess.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Progressive Party of Maldives-People's National Congress (PPM-PNC) coalition said Nasheed has been encouraging opposition MPs to help break the deadlock in parliament.
Nasheed met with minority leader and Eydhafushi MP Ahmed Saleem, Naifaru MP Ahmed Shiyam, Madduvari MP Adam Shareef and Maavah MP Mohamed Saeed at the parliament house.
Speaking to the press after the meeting, Saleem said Nasheed wishes to find ways to resume parliament and encouraged working towards that. He was saddened over parliament's deadlock, Saleem said.
"He has been giving us a lot of encouragement, [saying] 'help reopen parliament, I want to continue parliament.' So it's very normal. He has been very affected by parliament not functioning," Saleem said.
What Saleem first talked about after meeting reporters is the alleged influence exerted by the government over MPs to collect signatures for Nasheed's no-confidence motion.
It was the allegation that Nasheed made as well at the media briefing held at parliament yesterday. However, Saleem said he learned of it after considering the past few days.
"So MPs also know what they're doing is wrong. But a lot of people were made to sign using the government's influence and might and power," Saleem alleged.
At the press conference, all the opposition MPs also alleged that the reason for the deadlock was the submission of no-confidence motions against the speaker and deputy speaker at the same time. The opposition MPs backed Nasheed's proposal to resolve the deadlock, which is withdrawing the no-confidence motion against either the speaker or deputy speaker.
But Saleem said the meeting with Nasheed at the parliament's garden today was a coincidence.
"We planned since yesterday to come here. The speaker came by coincidence. Then when the speaker saw us, he stopped there," he said.
He said president Nasheed was "very sad."
