The united opposition lawmakers on Sunday announced plans to file censure motions to remove the Attorney General, chief prosecutor, defence minister and the home minister from office.
Maldives military armed with shields and batons blocked off parliament as opposition lawmakers headed to the building in the capital Male.
Some opposition lawmakers had managed to enter the parliament after climbing over the wall. Despite lines of soldiers in-front of the parliament gates, lawmakers had been allowed to enter.
Speaking to reporters outside the parliament, chief opposition lawmaker Ibrahim Mohamed Solih said the censure motions to remove the key cabinet ministers would be submitted to the parliament over their refusal to abide by the Supreme Court ruling ordering the release of jailed political leaders including self-exiled former president Mohamed Nasheed.
The Hinnavaru MP also said the opposition would also contest the parliament decision to cancel its opening session slated for Monday citing security reasons which he said was in blatant violation of the parliament rules of procedure.
The island nation has been plunged into fresh political turmoil after the Supreme Court on Thursday ordered the immediate release of jailed political leaders including self-exiled former president Mohamed Nasheed.
The first sitting for 2018 was scheduled for Monday and due to be addressed by President Abdulla Yameen Abdulla Gayoom. It was cancelled indefinitely, parliament said in a message sent to lawmakers.
More than two days after the Supreme court ordered the immediate release of as many as nine political prisoners, government has thus far refused to comply.
In addition to Nasheed, the other top political leaders named in the order included Jumhoory Party (JP) leader Gasim Ibrahim, religiously conservative Adhaalath Party (AP) leader Sheikh Imran Abdulla, former defence minister Mohamed Nazim, former vice president Ahmed Adheeb Abdul Ghafoor and deposed ruling party leader Maumoon Abdul Gayoom's lawmaker son Faris Maumoon.
The others named in the order included former prosecutor general Muhthaz Muhsin, magistrate Ahmed Nihan and Adheeb's brother in law Hamid Ismail.
The court had also annulled its anti-defection ruling and ordered the country's electoral watchdog to re-instate the dozen government lawmakers disqualified over the ruling. The Supreme Court said the anti-defection ruling was issued as a temporary solution to the constitutional dispute case filed by the state but insisted that the relevant authorities have failed to bring to effect an anti-defection law specified in the ruling.
The reinstatement of the 12 lawmakers disqualified by the country's elections commission would mean that the united opposition would now have parliament majority which has the power to impeach the president.
Government meanwhile, confirmed a Supreme Court led move to have incumbent president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom arrested.
AG Mohamed Anil flanked by the army and police chief earlier Sunday had said the government has received information that a Supreme Court order to arrest president Yameen was imminent.
However, AG labelled the move as "unconstitutional" and the police and the army would reject any order by the Supreme Court to have the president arrested.
Chief of defence force Major General Ahmed Shiyam said the army would only act in accordance with the laws and constitution, adding that it would follow the legal advice of the attorney general.
"The army would not stand by watch while the Maldives goes into a crisis. The army would not obey an unconstitutional order," Shiyam insisted.
Newly appointed police chief Abdulla Nawaz echoed the army chief's statement.
The latest development comes amid accusations that the opposition had bribed some of the judges on the Supreme Court bench to influence the ruling
