Privileges Committee rejects disqualification of Azim and Nashiz

The Parliament Privileges Committee has said that the Supreme Court ruling issued yesterday disqualifying Alifushi MP Mohamed Nashiz and Medhu-Henveiru MP Ali Azim as MPs is invalid, and passed that the two MPs have not lost their parliament seats.

This motion was voted in favour by four MPs of Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), out of the six members present at last night’s meeting.

The MPs who voted in favour are Madaveli MP Mohamed Nazim, Mahchangolhi-South MP Mohamed Rasheed, Gadhdhoo MP Zahir Adam and Kulhudhuffushi-North MP Abdul Gafoor Moosa.

The committee was chaired by Maafannu-North MP Imthiyaz Fahmy. The chairperson cannot participate in the vote.

Independent member Dhuvaafaru MP Mohamed Zubair abstained.

MP Abdul Gafoor Moosa told Sun Online that the Supreme Court ruling was not in line with the court’s procedure, as well as a violation of MPs’ privileges.

“We passed this motion because we believe that it is a violation of MPs’ privileges. A ruling that was issued against court procedure, and by a judge who has lost his integrity, is not valid,” he said.

At the trial yesterday, Judge Mu’uthasim Adnan said that when he suggested investigating the case against Azim and Nashiz and preparing the opinion during the weekend, some judges refused and proposed to remove him from the bench and appoint a bench of five judges.

He said that the case against Azim and Nashiz is a serious one, and that it was not possible to issue the opinion as there was no opportunity to investigate the case.

The last trial of the case against Azim and Nashiz was held in February 2013.

Azim and Nashiz are members of the Privileges committee, but did not attend the meeting last night.