The Parliament has decided to remove the section on counting the total number of MPs from the rules of procedure and include it with some changes as a new section.
This comes as the Attorney General's Office has filed a constitutional case at the Supreme Court over the changes brought to Parliament's rules of procedure concerning the impeachment process.
The case in the Supreme Court was filed by Attorney General Ahmed Usham to annul (g), (h) and (i) of section 49 of the rules of procedure. According to the section, vacant seats would not be included when considering the total number of MPs.
However, the General Purpose Committee on Thursday decided to remove (g), (h) and (i) of section 49 from the rules of procedure and include the process of counting the number of MPs with some changes in a different section.
The decision by the General Purpose Committee was approved without any changes. Twenty-nine MPs voted in favor while eight MPs voted against.
According to the changes brought, the total number of MPs can be counted without the vacant seats if there is less than six months from the date of vacancy to the next general election.
The law states that a by-election must be held for a vacant seat if there are more than six months before a general election.
There are currently 80 out of 87 MPs in the People's Majlis. The seats became vacant in November which is less than six months to the next general election.
