Hulhudhoo MP Ilyas Labeeb's resolution calling for a public referendum on the system of government was accepted by parliament on Tuesday.
The resolution proposed by Ilyas on behalf of The Democrats was accepted unanimously by 35 MPs who participated in the vote.
Speaker Mohamed Nasheed decided to expedite the approval of the resolution by sending it to a full-house committee and bringing it back to the floor for a final vote on the same day. But he later announced that the committee meeting would take place on Wednesday.
"[MPs] from political parties are requesting to discuss and talk," he said.
At Tuesday's sitting, MPs also voted in favor of sending the resolution to the full-house committee.
Before opening up the floor to a debate on the resolution, Nasheed noted that parliament has the authority under article 70 of the constitution to ask the Elections Commission (EC) to hold a public referendum.
"There's no role for the president in that under any circumstances," he said.
During the debate, Naifaru MP Ahmed Shiyam from the main opposition Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) declared support for holding a referendum as the last one was conducted 16 years ago.
"Asking the public again what is wrong with this system is something that I support. Asking the public and going forward as they wish is not something that we disapprove of, we do approve it, honorable speaker," he said.
Of the 35 MPs who voted to accept the resolution, 21 MPs belonged to the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), including Majority Leader Mohamed Aslam.
On Monday, as a counter-proposal to The Democrats asking for a referendum to be held on September 28 as a condition for the party's endorsement of President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih in the second round of the presidential election on September 30, the MDP proposed holding the referendum on October 30 after a campaign to raise public awareness.
