Parliament passes amendment to ban megaphones, horns

The parliament has passed an amendment to its Standing Orders to ban the use of items such as megaphones and horns in the parliament chamber.

The amendment was passed with 43 votes in favour.

MPs of opposition party, Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), have been using these items to obstruct parliament sittings for the past few months.

According to the new regulation, action will be taken against MPs who take such items into the parliament chamber. The penalties include deducting committee allowance by 50 percent, and barring MPs from travelling abroad on parliament-related affairs for six months.

On Wednesday, Deputy Speaker of Parliament Moosa Manik told Sun Online that it would not be possible to conduct proper sittings of the parliament before the use of such items in the parliament chamber is disallowed.

Opposition MPs have been protesting, calling for the release of former President Mohamed Nasheed, at every parliament sitting this year.