Kinbidhoo lawmaker and PG leader of Jumhooree Party, Abdulla Riyaz has stated on Monday that the extra-ordinary sitting of the parliament being organized out of term by the ruling coalition has not yet been finalized.
Speaking to AVAS, Riyaz said the delay is due to not being able to attain the required amount of signatures of parliament members to request a sitting.
While the 18th parliament prepares to convene next month for their last term, the ruling coalition had expected to hold an extra-ordinary sitting during the parliament recess in order to pass important pending bills.
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.
Riyaz said 43 signatures of members are required to hold a special sitting, and only 22 signatures have been collected so far. There are difficulties in collecting signatures as a lot of lawmakers are either abroad or traveling to their targeted constituencies for campaign purposes. However, the arrangements can still be made with the committed effort of the lawmakers even with the limited time remaining until the parliament re-convenes.
If the coalition fails to hold the sitting, the pending bills will be addressed during the next term of the parliament, which has been scheduled for 7th of February, added Riyaz.
Parliament members standing outside the Peoples' Majlis - Mohamed Afrah / AVAS
