Maldives ruling party on Wednesday downplayed reports a rift within its parliamentary group over the draft anti-defection law with chief government lawmaker Ahmed Nihan Hussain Manik insisting that it had the backing of "99 percent" of government lawmakers.
The Villi-Maafannu lawmaker was responding to reports that the majority of the ruling coalition lawmakers were against the draft law which if passed would disqualify lawmakers elected on party tickets if they quit, change or are dismissed from the party.
The outspoken lawmaker told AVAS that during a sit-down of the parliamentary group, "one or two MPs" had objected to some of the clauses in the draft law.
Nihan explained that some lawmakers had voiced concern over the clause which gives the country's electoral watchdog the authority to draft a regulation under which lawmakers would be disqualified.
"When we're working as a group there would be times when all of us won't agree on something. But the ruling coalition always find a way to do what needs to be done after addressing any concerns," Nihan said.
The first reading of the draft law was held during the parliament sitting earlier Wednesday, which again was boycotted by the opposition lawmakers.
According to the draft law, lawmakers elected on party tickets would lose their respective seats if they quit, change or are dismissed from the party. However, the law would not apply to independent members if they sign for a particular party.
The law also does not apply to lawmakers for violating party whip-lines or are penalized by a party for disciplinary violations.
The draft law comes in the wake of a top court stay order the relevant institutions to hold off on the reinstatement of a dozen opposition lawmakers disqualified over an earlier anti-defection ruling.
The island nation has been embroiled in fresh political turmoil after the Supreme Court on February 1 ordered the immediate release of jailed political leaders including self-exiled former president Mohamed Nasheed.
The court had also annulled its anti-defection ruling and ordered the country's electoral watchdog to re-instate the dozen rebel 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.
President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom on February 5 had declared a 15 day state of emergency after his last ditch attempt to convince the top court to revoke the order failed, purged the Supreme Court by arresting two judges and the remaining political leaders and ultimately had the order revoked.
After the original state of emergency expired, president Yameen had got the parliament contentiously extend it by another 30 days.
