Parliament today accepted and sent to committee a proposed anti-defection law that would disqualify MPs who switch parties.

The bill submitted by Ahmed Abdulla, Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP for Baarah, was accepted unanimously by the 41 MPs who participated in the vote at today's sitting.

After the bill was accepted, MPs voted in favor of sending it to a select committee for review. But as political parties disagreed about the composition of the committee, the sitting was adjourned for talks.

According to the anti-defection bill, if an MP who was elected on a political party ticket leaves the party of his or her own volition, the MP would have to resign.

If an MP is expelled from the party from which he or she was elected, the Elections Commission (EC) must hold a referendum in the constituency to decide whether the MP can remain in the seat.

An anti-defection law was previously enforced in the People's Majlis. The law stated that MPs would lose their seat immediately if they changed parties. However, following the defeat of the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) in the 2018 presidential election, opposition parties gained the Parliament's majority and voted to repeal the law. The repeal of the law was then ratified by former President Abdulla Yameen.