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Speaker attempts to violate the constitution

MDP PRESS RELEASE

Twenty four members of the newly formed Special Majlis (constituent assembly) walked out of the first meeting today in protest of the temporary Speaker’s decision to conduct the meeting in violation of the constitution.

The temporary Speaker is the Speaker of the parliament and he is required to vacate the chair after the Special Majlis elects the Speaker of their choice. The dispute arose when the temporary Speaker Mr. Abdullah Hameed unilaterally decided to elect the Speaker through a show of hands and not through secret ballot as required by Article 133 of the constitution. The members correctly decided that given the high level of fear of government reprisal, even a remotely free and fair election could only be held through a secret ballot. Hameed insisted he conduct the elections according to “traditions”. The “traditional” way would be for the Special Majlis to rubberstamp the wishes of the President irrespective of what the constitution specifies.

The twenty four members walked over to the nearby office of the President and quietly insisted that the Special Majlis be conducted in accordance with the constitution and the wishes of the members. The President assured them that it will be done so but did not guarantee that there would be a free and fair election. The President also requested the twenty four members to advise the crowd that had gathered around the President’s Office and Parliament to disperse.

In the meantime Mr. Hameed wanted to continue with the elections process while the twenty four members were with the President. However a member of the Special Majlis (a cabinet minister and Hameed’s own son) insisted that a vote cannot and must not be conducted in absence of these members. At this stage Hameed relented and delayed the proceedings.

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