Motion passed for Speaker to take over presidential powers after 11 November

Parliament has today passed a motion for the Speaker of the Parliament to assume the powers of the president, if the country does not have president elect by the end of the presidential term.

The motion, presented by Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) parliamentary group leader MP Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, passed with 39 votes in favour, nil votes against and one abstention.

MPs opposed to MDP, MPs from the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), Jumhoory Party (JP), Maldives Development Alliance (MDA) and Gaumee Party boycotted the session.

MP Ibrahim Mohamed Solih’s motion states that Speaker of the Parliament will take over the powers of the president if the country does not have president elect by 24:00 a.m. on 10 November 2013. If the Speaker is unable to assume the power, it facilitates for Deputy Speaker of the Parliament to take charge of the government. If the Deputy Speaker is indisposed, a MP elected by the parliament shall assume the powers, according to the motion.

If persons other than a president elect or vice president takes over presidential powers, the motion states that the an election must be held within 21 days of the beginning of the interim period and that the new president must take his oath of office within 18 hours of the Elections Commission’s announcement of his presidency.

PPM Deputy Leader MP Abdul Raheem Abdulla told Sun that the party decided to boycott the session because the Supreme Court ruling annulling the September 7 presidential election clearly states the way to proceed following failure to meet the 11 November deadline.

The Supreme Court ruling states that, in an even where the country fails to elect a president by the constitutional deadline, the current presidential term will continue and that the incumbent president will remain in his seat. However, President Waheed has told the media that he does not intend to remain in office past the 11 November deadline.

President Waheed has also written to the Speaker of the Parliament, asking the parliament to take initiative in finding a solution to any legal issues that might arise if a new president is not elected by the end of the current term.