Parliament on Monday approved extending the third session of the year to December 28.
Speaker Mohamed Aslam's proposal to extend the session was passed unanimously by 64 MPs in attendance when the vote was called.
Parliament's third session was previously due to end on November 27. However, due to unfinished tasks, it was extended first to December 7 and then to December 18.
The latest extension came with the approval of the 22-member cabinet of ministers appointed by President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu pending before Parliament.
At the start of Monday's sitting, Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP for Thulhaadhoo Hisaan Hussain raised a point of order and noted that the committee had not passed the report on the approval of ministers in line with Parliament's rules.
The Speaker accepted the objection, consulted with the Majority Leader and Minority Leader and sent the report on approving ministers back to committee.
The ministerial appointees could not be put to a vote due to the government's failure to seek parliamentary approval for changes brought to the mandate of ministries.
"Now 30 days since these ministries were established, as the mandates of the ministries have not been sent for approval, it is not clear from the report what responsibilities that we are approving the ministers to carry out, or whether or not they have the capability to do so," Hisaan said, citing Article 116 of the Constitution, which authorizes the President to establish ministries and determine their areas of jurisdiction.
The Article states that "the President shall submit all information relating to the ministries and their areas of jurisdiction to the People’s Majlis for approval."
The new mandates assigned by President Muizzu a month ago were sent for parliamentary approval later on Monday, according to the President's Office.
