Soldiers surround speaker as opposition MPs protest in Majlis chamber
A week after the unprecedented expulsion of lawmakers by the police and military, the People’s Majlis resumed Monday with opposition MPs protesting in the chamber and soldiers surrounding the speaker’s chair.
31 Jul 2017, 9:00 AM
A week after the unprecedented expulsion of lawmakers from the parliament by the police and military, the People’s Majlis resumed Monday with soldiers surrounding Speaker Abdulla Maseeh Mohamed as opposition MPs protested in the chamber.
The sitting was due to begin at 9 am but Maseeh arrived two hours later after security personnel cleared out opposition lawmakers from the speaker’s well.
The embattled speaker began proceedings over the clamour of opposition lawmakers calling for his resignation and quickly exited the chamber. What Maseeh announced was unclear but Majority Leader Ahmed Nihan declared on Twitter shortly thereafter that the sitting was over.
The only item on the agenda was a question from MP Abdulla Riyaz to the environment minister about building a seawall on the island of Kadoodhoo. Maseeh reportedly announced that the item was cancelled as Riyaz was absent.
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