The Parliament Secretariat has announced that Meedhoo MP Ahmed Siyam Mohamed would chair the sitting scheduled for Tuesday to elect the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the 20th session of the People's Majlis.
The swearing-in ceremony for the 93 MPs of the 20th People's Majlis will be held at 9:00 am Tuesday and the first sitting to elect the Speaker and Deputy Speaker will be held at 10:15 am.
According to the Parliament's Rules of Procedure, the MP who has served the longest consecutive terms shall preside over the sitting to elect the Speaker and Deputy Speaker.
The Parliament's Director of Communications Hassan Ziyau told Adhadhu that MP Siyam will preside over Tuesday's session.
The ruling People's National Congress (PNC) won 66 seats in the April 21 parliamentary elections. Eight MPs-elect have since joined the party bringing the total number of PNC MPs to 74.
Jumhooree Party leader Qasim Ibrahim, Maldives National Party (MNP) leader Mohamed Nazim, Maldives Development Alliance (MDA) leader Siyam and Velidhoo MP-elect Mohamed Abbas from MDA also support the government.
This brings the total number of MPs supporting the government to 79. This is a larger majority than the one secured by the now-opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) in the 19th People's Majlis.
The MDP secured only 12 seats in the 20th People's Majlis.
