Speaker of the Parliament Mohamed Nasheed has announced today that 22 MPs were on leave and were unable to attend the parliamentary sitting.
Speaking before the sitting began, Nasheed said that only 22 MPs had attended today's parliamentary sitting.
He went on to say that 22 other MPs were currently on leave and out of that 20 MPs had traveled to their constituencies.
Nasheed also said that 2 of the MPs had traveled on officials trips and 3 other MPs were currently under quarantine.
Recently, the Parliament had decided to consider the trips MPs make to their constituencies as official trips. But it had urged the parliamentarians to send a letter to the parliament's secretariate seeking permission ahead of their travels and that only the secretariate can grant this permission.
The Speaker said today that MP for Alifushi constituency Mohamed Rasheed Hussain and MP for Kulhudhufushi Dhekunu Constiucney Jamsheed Mohamed had traveled to their constituencies with the appropriate permissions.
The number of MPs traveling to their constituencies has increased as political parties increase their campaign efforts ahead of the upcoming council elections scheduled for next Saturday.
