A no-confidence motion filed to remove Speaker Mohamed Nasheed has been annulled by the chair of this morning's sitting and cannot be continued, Deputy Speaker Eva Abdulla declared and concluded Sunday's second sitting of parliament.
Eva did not attend the sitting held at 9 am today.
As she was on leave, Vilufushi MP Hassan Afeef presided over the sitting.
Shortly after the sitting began and the agenda was announced, Democrats parliamentary group leader Ali Azim raised a point of order and said the impeachment motion was "against the rules."
After allowing a heated debate that ensued, Afeef announced that the sitting was concluded.
Eva presided over the second sitting scheduled for 11:30 am. A few moments after it began, she ended it, saying the motion had been annulled at the morning sitting.
"This resolution [impeachment motion] was thrown out by the chair of today's sitting that began at 9 o'clock this morning who decided that the sitting had ended at that point. Therefore, I do not believe that this is an issue that could be continued further today. This resolution was thrown out by the chair of parliament who decided it was a point of order," Eva said.
During this morning's sitting, Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MPs repeatedly insisted that the impeachment motion was in compliance with parliament's rules.
But the chair decided to reject it.
However, the motion was tabled in the agenda after Parliament's Secretariat accepted it as valid.
MPs presiding over sittings belong to Nasheed's Democrats party and they have been repeatedly thwarting the impeachment motion by using the powers of the chair.
During this morning's sitting, MDP MPs strongly objected when Medhu Henveiru MP Ali Azim and other Democrats MPs said the motion had been submitted in violation of the rules.
As MDP MPs raised their voices and loudly protested, Azim urged them to allow him to speak.
"If not, if you don't want to, let's stop and leave. I won't allow the opportunity to [proceed with the motion]," Azim said.
MDP MPs, who make up the majority, accused MP Hassan Afeef of allowing points of order as the chair with the intention of canceling the sitting.
As the debate became protracted with several MPs allowed to raise points of order and speak, MDP MPs said the chair must rule whether MP Ali Azim's point of order was legitimate or not.
"I have accepted the point of order raised by Medhu Henveiru MP Ali Azim. This resolution was not submitted in accordance with parliament's regulations. Therefore, this issue is now ended for it to be submitted again," Afeef said.
The impeachment motion to remove Nasheed was previously stalled after Deputy Speaker Eva Abdulla did not attend to preside over sittings. At first, Eva took a sick leave.
At the time, Parliament's Secretary General Fathmath Niusha and Counsel General Fathmath Filza said only the Deputy Speaker could preside over a sitting with the impeachment of the Speaker on the agenda.
But the MDP challenged the decision and filed a constitutional case at the Supreme Court, which ruled that another MP could also preside over the sitting.
Afeef presided over the morning sitting due to the judgment.
