Some MPs of The Democrats today opposed provisions in a proposed anti-defection law for automatically unseating MPs who switch parties.
All MPs who represent The Democrats in Parliament have been elected as Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MPs.
During today's debate on the "anti-defection bill" submitted on behalf of the MDP by Baarah MP Ahmed Abdulla - which proposes disqualification for defecting MPs - some Democrats MPs said the MP alone might not be to blame each time an MP leaves the party.
"When we talk about an anti-defection bill, what's important for me is MP recall. That is because in anti-defection, when the leader or President of a political party is unhappy, they could remove an MP and take away his seat as well from the People's Majlis," Galolhu Uthuru MP Eva Abdulla said today.
The voters who elected the MP should be asked whether he or she should remain in Parliament after departure or expulsion from a party, she said.
"If an MP is to be unseated, it should only be decided by asking the citizens who elected the MP whether the MP has violated the basis, the principles or the ideology for which they voted. What's most important is MP recall," Eva said.
In some cases, parties expel members at the whim of party leaders, said Imthiyaz Fahmy, Democrats MP for Maafannu Uthuru. In such cases, the MP should not lose his or her seat, he said.
"So it should not be this easy. That's because people who don't belong to any party also vote to elect an MP. So in my view, the best way would be to ask the public for a second time whether they have confidence in the MP or not," Imthiyaz said.
The public should have that opportunity, he said.
Henveiru Hulhagu MP Hassan Latheef, President of The Democrats, said the process for recall votes should be included in the anti-defection law. If an MP is expelled from a party for refusing to do what was asked by the party, the people who voted for the MP should decide whether he or she should remain in Parliament, he said.
