Anti-defection ruling, rain forecast and revenue rise

The Attorney General's Office responded to a constitutional challenge against anti-defection provisions and asked the Supreme Court to rule that it lacks the jurisdiction to review constitutional amendments. The state maintained that the floor-crossing prohibition could be retroactively applied to sitting lawmakers.

The Met office forecasted thundershowers in north and central atolls on Tuesday and Wednesday as a low pressure system formed east of the Maldives was expected to move westward.

As tourist arrivals increased by 12 percent from the previous month, the tax authority collected MVR 2.47 billion (US$ 160 million) in February, up 5.4 percent from the previous year, “primarily due to the collection of Lease Period Extension Fee and the increment in collection of Corporate Income Tax.” 

The foreign ministry has 132 political appointees, including 28 staff at headquarters and 104 staff posted overseas in diplomatic missions, the ministry informed parliament. The number of foreign service staff was 139.   

The Judicial Service Commission invited job applications for a vacant position on the Supreme Court bench following the resignation of Justice Husnu Suood last week.

The ruling party supermajority dismissed a motion without notice submitted to parliament over persistent power cuts in Addu City.

The Maldives Media Council opened applications to fill a vacancy after the resignation of Hussain Hassan, who stepped down after his election as the president of the opposition MDP's Gaaf Alif Villingili constituency.

The Local Government Authority sent a team to Gaaf Dhaal Thinadhoo to investigate the island council, which is also under investigation by the Anti-Corruption Commission.

Justice Azmiralda Zahir asked the Anti-Corruption Commission to investigate the watchdog’s president for allegedly providing false information to the Judicial Service Commission as grounds for her suspension.

Mariyam Shamma Ismail was appointed as the new registrar of companies.

The Privatisation and Corporatisation Board removed Mohamed Shiyam from the board of Maldives Ports Limited.

STELCO signed an agreement with MTCC to build two 80,000-litre diesel storage tanks in Hulhumalé. The tanks will serve as backup for greater Malé power generation ahead of the peak season.

The environment ministry contracted WAMCO to “establish waste management infrastructure in 32 islands.”