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No confidence motion against Home Minister fails at parliament

The no confidence motion filed against Home Minister Imran Abdulla by the opposition has failed to pass after main-ruling Maldivian Democratic PArty (MDP) backed the minister.

A no confidence motion against the minister was filed by the opposition with the signatures of 11 paliamenatians, over ‘false comments made by the minister at the parliament on the disappearance of journalist Ahmed Rilwan’ and for describing recent case of sexual harassment as a ‘minor’ incident. Earlier on Sunday, the Parliamentary Group of MDP, which holds Parliament’s supermajority, voted to back the minister in the no confidence motion.

During Monday’s parliament vote, 11 members voted in favour of the motion while 53 members voted against it.

In the time granted to speak in his defence before the vote, Minister Imran, who is also the president of Adhaalath party which is part of the ruling coalition, said the no confidence motion was built on baseless allegations in order to upset the political environment of the Maldives, and was intended to weaken the government and create disruption. He also asserted that he would not shy away from investigating the corruption cases of the past administration.