The parliamentary session was abruptly adjourned for a second consecutive day on Tuesday due to a contentious debate surrounding the no-confidence motion directed at Attorney General Ibrahim Riffath. Tensions escalated further when the session chair decided to suspend the motion against Riffath, resulting in protests from pro-government legislators who expressed their dissatisfaction with Speaker Mohamed Nasheed’s ruling. Amid procedural objections, Nasheed adjourned the session temporarily to allow for a lunch break.
Upon resumption of the session, Villufushi MP Hassan Afeef assumed the chairmanship. During this period, Henveiru West MP Hassan Latheef, a member of Nasheed’s splinter party, The Democrats, was granted permission by the chair to submit an urgent motion. This motion urged the parliament to investigate allegations that the government had been intimidating individuals affiliated with The Democrats.
As Hassan Latheef commenced the presentation of the motion, the protests from pro-government members grew increasingly disruptive. Despite Afeef’s warning that the session would not be able to proceed if MPs continued to raise their voices, the protests persisted. Consequently, Afeef declared the session concluded.
Speaker Nasheed’s decision to suspend the no-confidence motion against Riffath was prompted by a complaint lodged by the opposition Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), accusing Riffath of violating parliamentary privileges. Although the motion was rejected during the morning session with a vote of 48 members, Nasheed announced that the matter had been referred to the parliamentary privileges committee, as a separate but similar issue had been raised for committee review.
