Amendment to introduce MP recall votes withdrawn

Three amendments submitted to the parliament including the amendment to revise the constitution to introduce recall votes to remove parliamentary representatives have been withdrawn.

The Democrats’ leader, West Henveiru MP Hassan Latheef submitted a bill to amend Article 27 of the Constitution to introduce recall votes in response to petitions submitted by a specific percentage of the voting population of a constituency to remove their parliamentary representative.

While opening Tuesday’s sitting, Parliament Speaker Mohamed Aslam announced that the amendment had been withdrawn yesterday.

Hassan Latheef’s amendment sought to include an additional clause to Article 27 declaring circumstances where parliamentarians will lose their seats. They are:

• If a parliamentarian elected on a party ticket voluntarily leaves their party or joins another party
• If a parliamentarian elected as an independent candidate joins a party
• If a parliamentarian elected on a party ticket is expelled from the party in accordance with the party’s standing orders during their term for violating a party whip
• If the majority of the voting population of a constituency decides to remove a parliamentarian elected on a party ticket who is expelled from the party for a reason other than violation of a party whip
• If the majority vote to remove their parliamentary representative in a recall election held after the relevant parliamentary committee decided to hold such an election following review of a petition signed and submitted to the Parliament by a specific percentage of the voting population of the constituency to remove their parliamentarian

Notably, the parliament had previously approved an Anti-Defection Bill that grants legal enforcement for lawmakers to lose their parliamentary seats upon floor crossing. Although the bill has been ratified and is in force, it is the subject of many concerns and complaints.

Speaker Aslam noted that two other amendments submitted to the parliament were also withdrawn on Monday. They are:

• The bill submitted by Central Henvieru MP Ali Azim to reduce the total number of MPs
• The bill submitted by Holhudhoo MP Yoonus Ali to delegate the appointment of members to the Elections Commission to the parliament 

The last date of the ongoing 19th parliamentary assembly is May 13th. While the last sitting of the assembly is slated for next Monday, the new parliamentary assembly will take oath on May 28th.