Speaker hopes to hold Majlis session on Monday

Speaker of the Peoples’ Majlis Abdullah Shahid has expressed hopes to hold the session of the Peoples’ Majlis on Monday.

In an interview to VTV, the Speaker said that it is not acceptable for anyone or any party to stall the sessions of the Peoples’ Majlis and leave the Majlis in limbo. He said that the MPs should work for the best interest of the people and the nation.

Speaker Shahid also expressed hopes that the Majlis continues peacefully in accordance to the priorities set by the discussions Deputy Speaker Ahmed Nazim to amend the regulations of the Majlis.

Shahid said that the best interest of the people and the nation is in the functionality of the Majlis. He said that the constitutional role of the Majlis should continue without any obstruction. He said that he will do whatever it is in his capabilities to continue the sessions of the Majlis.

Meanwhile, Legislature continues to be in limbo, although the Majlis was opened on March 19th, and President Waheed was able to deliver an abridged version of his Presidential Address amidst screaming and yelling by MDP MPs.

MDP, the largest opposition party even in the Majlis, refuse to follow parliamentary regulations which dictate that it must respond in 14 days to Dr. Waheed's presidential address. They claim that since President Waheed is not a legitimate president, it cannot respond to a statement by him. 

MDP also state that since Dr. Waheed's party has not even a single seat in Majlis and hence cannot table even a single bill to Parliament, it does not see how Majlis can legally proceed forward. They have raised with the Speaker Shahid a number of legal issues in relation to this/ 

Also the backlog of legislation at Majlis continues to stagnate, almost three months after its last session. High on the priority would be parliamentary consent for President Dr. Waheed's Cabinet of Ministers, his Vice Presidential nominee Mohamed Waheeduddeen, and possibly amendment of parliamentary regulations to enable the government to table bills to the Majlis.