Parliament to convene next month

The first parliament sitting of 2019 has been scheduled for 7th of February.

The People's Majlis informed on Thursday that the first sitting of the year would take place at Dharubaaruge.

At the sitting, President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih will be giving the presidential address, as per Article 84 of the Maldivian Constitution.

This is the fourth year the first parliamentary sitting of a year is being held at Dharubaaruge, including the last three years of President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayyom's term.

While this year's initial sitting is scheduled for next month, this is the last term of the current parliament. A new parliament would be elected during April.

The 28th Parliament is currently on recess since 15th December. The ruling-coalition leaders have agreed to organize an extra-ordinary parliamentary sitting outside of term, in order to pass important pending bills. However, the arrangements have not been finalized.

At the last sitting before the recess, voting for important bills to pass amendments to the pension act, to establish a bar association and to empower the presidential commissions established by President Solih to recover state assets and to investigate suspicious deaths and disappearances, were lined up. However, due to the required quorum not being present, the votes could not be taken.

The purpose of the extra-ordinary sitting is to pass these bills.