Committee Upholds Amendment Allowing Immediate Loss of Parliamentary Seats

In a decisive move on Monday, the full committee of the People’s National Congress dominated Parliament voted to retain a controversial amendment that allows members of Parliament to lose their seats immediately upon being expelled from their party, resigning from it, or switching allegiance. 

Introduced and passed within hours by the ruling party’s super-majority in November 2024, the amendment requires no input from a member’s constituency: once a lawmaker changes party affiliation or is expelled, the seat is automatically vacated. On 16 November this year, the government submitted a bill to revise the amendment proposing a general vote or a roll-call vote prior to seat forfeiture but that measure was rejected. 

During the committee session, PNC Member of Parliament Mohamed Mamdooh moved to strip the requirement for a roll-call vote from the bill, a motion seconded by PNC MP Ibrahim Didi. The vote resulted in 50 PNC members supporting the removal, while eight MDP members opposed it. Two more MDP MPs, Mohamed Shamheed and Amin Faisal  also voted against the removal. Several PNC MPs did not participate. With the clause removed, the original automatic-seat vacatur provision remains in full effect.

The committee did not stop there. It also approved a separate amendment to abolish the Atoll Councils, with 52 votes in favour and 10 MDP MPs voting against. The bill will now go to the full chamber for a final vote.