The Special Majlis yesterday passed amendment to the Chapter on the People’s Majlis which says that the Majlis is composed of 2 members from the 21 administrative sectors (20 atolls plus Male’) plus an additional member for every additional 5000 people in the administrative sector. This was passed yesterday during the vote taken on those articles of the Chapter on the People’s Majlis that were not previously put to vote.
Yesterday’s voting was on the re drafts proposed by the Drafting Committee and the amendments put forward by the Members to those re drafts. In this regard the amendment was passed as proposed by Addu Atoll member Mohamed Aslam. This amendment was supported by Husnu Al Suood MP for Addu as well.
The amendment is given below;
“The composition of the Majlis shall be determined as follows, 2 members for the first 5000 people of each administrative sector or two members for each administrative sector which has a population of 5000. If the registered population of the administrative sector exceeds 5000, then an additional member shall be elected for each additional 5000.”
This is a very important change that is being introduced to the political system of the Maldives. When the amendment is in force, then the Majlis, which currently have 2 members from each atoll, 2 members from Male’ and the 8 Members appointed by the President, will have approximately 72 elected Members. The new Majlis shall not have any appointed Members of the President. Further the Majlis established under the new constitution shall be responsible for bringing the necessary amendments to the constitution, formulating legislations, to check and monitor the affairs of the government and the President as well as to make the government and the president accountable in accordance with the constitution in place. Further once the new constitution comes in to force, there shall be no Special Majlis to amend the constitution.
Speaking during the debate time MP for Fuvahmulak Mohamed Ibrahim Didi said that as there will be a lot of disputes and difficulties in the forming of electoral areas and as such not the best and most appropriate way. Some members are of the opinion that difficulties will be faced during the election process due to the way the Majlis is composed. They claim that instead of 5000, an additional member should be elected for each additional 10000 people. Also instead of further distributing the administrative sectors to electoral areas, members should be elected for the entire administrative sector and the number of candidates can be determined based on the population and they can be elected based on the number of votes received.
85 Members attended the Majlis session before break time and 98 members attended after the break time. Yesterday’s session was chaired by Speaker Qasim Ibrahim.
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