Returned bill on political parties placed on parliament's agenda for tomorrow

The bill on political parties and the bill on privileges of Parliament members, which were sent back to the Parliament for reconsideration by the President , have been tabled for tomorrow’s session of Parliament.

The agenda states that the Parliament Speaker will announce the manner in which the Parliament will proceed with the two bills tomorrow.

Both bills will be automatically ratified if they receive more than 39 votes from the Parliament.

The political parties bill states that political parties with a membership count of less than 10,000 members will be automatically dissolved within three months upon its ratification. MPs from Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), Dhivehi Riyyithunge Party (DRP) and Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) voted to pass the bill.

The MP's privileges bill, which declares actions that violate the privileges of MP as criminal offences, received a tie of votes in Parliament and was passed following a vote by the Parliament Speaker. Sending both bills back for reconsideration, the President stated that the bills hinder the people from a number of rights.

Tomorrow’s Parliament agenda also include amendments presented by Kulhudhuffushi MP Mohamed Nasheed on the act on judicial courts that it will facilitate the abolition of the Hulhumale’ Magistrate Court. The bill, which consists of six amendments to the act on judicial courts, will be read and debated on the Parliament floor during tomorrow’s session. The amendments to articles 52 and 62 of the act on judicial courts states that all lower courts in Male’, except superior courts, will be abolished from the moment the act comes into force. This will consequently abolish the Hulhumale’ Magistrate Court if the Parliament chooses to pass the bill.

Two resolutions and six bills are to be debated by the Parliament tomorrow, which includes the debate on the nominees proposed by the Broadcasting Commission for the Commission’s current vacancy. If the debate is concluded, Parliament will approve a member for the commission tomorrow.

Out of the 14 people who applied for the Broadcasting Commission membership, 5 names were forwarded to the Parliament floor after review from the Parliament committee. The nominees that succeeded to the floor are; Mohamed Aslam of Haa Alif Dhidhdhoo Aliya, former Maldives National Broadcasting Corporation (MNBC) CEO and currently the COO of TVM Mohamed Asif (Mondhu) of M. Raivilla, Ali Naseeh of M. Beach Heaven, Mohamed Hilmy of G. Dasie Fehi and Miusam Abbas of Rathafandhoo Bahaaree Villa.