Reference No: 20 /10/2013

28 October 2013

Parliament Passes MDP’s proposal for Transitional Arrangement

Following the request sent to the Speaker of the People’s Majlis by Dr. Mohamed Waheed seeking a solution to the legal predicament that will arise in the event of a failure to have an elected President in the Maldives by November 11, 2013 when the current presidential term expires, the Parliament on Sunday (27 October 2013) passed a resolution, calling to initiate a transitional arrangement.

The resolution, submitted by the MDP Parliamentary Group Leader, calls for a transition arrangement whereby full executive power is conferred on the Speaker of the Parliament, who is then tasked with the responsibility to hold and complete the full process of electing a new President within a maximum period of 21 days. The resolution also states that if the Speaker is unable to assume the responsibility, presidential powers will then be passed on to the Deputy Speaker, and if the Deputy Speaker is unable to assume responsibility, then a Member of the Parliament appointed through a resolution passed by the Parliament shall assume office.

The new President-elect and the Vice-President elect shall be sworn into office within 18 hours of the official announcement of the election results by the Elections Commission.

The Speaker, as interim President, shall have all the powers granted to the President in the Constitution.
The resolution, passed with 39 votes in favour, was boycotted by the members of the Jumhooree Party (JP) and the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM).

Another resolution, also submitted by the MDP, to grant authority and discretion to the Speaker in expediting the decisions required by the Parliament to prepare for the interim period was also passed today by the Parliament, with 37 votes in favour, 2 against and 1 abstention.
ENDS
Hamid Abdul Ghafoor
Spokesperson for International Affairs
Mobile: +9607778285
Tel: +9603340044