MP for Fonadhoo Constituency Abdul Raheem Abdullah has been elected as the Speaker of the 20th Parliament.
The 20th Parliament with a record 93 MPs held its first session today to elect the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the Parliament with long-standing parliamentarian the MP for Meedhoon Constituency Ahmed Siyam Mohamed presiding the session.
Parliament majority holder PNC fielded Abdul Raheem for the Speaker post while the main opposition MDP fielded the MP for Hithadhoo South Constituency Ibrahim Nazil.
The MPs took part in a secret vote to elect the Speaker which Abdul Raheem won with 71 votes in his favour while Nazeel received 14 votes. As per the results of the vote, 7 votes were counted as invalid while 85 votes were counted as valid. The MP for Meedhoo Constituency Siyam did not take part in the vote.
The votes were counted by a temporary committee of 5 MPs proposed by the MP for Inguraidhoo Constituency Ibrahim Falah and seconded by the MP for Baarashu Constituency Ibrahim Shujau.
The temporary Committee included the MP for Addu Feydhoo Constituency Ibrahim Didi, MP for Hanimaadhoo Constituency Abdul Ghafoor Moosa, MP for Maamigili Constituency Gasim Ibrahim, MP for Maafannu North Constituency Mohamed Nazim, and MP for Velidhoo Constituency Mohamed Abbas.
The Parliament would next elect its Deputy Speaker with the MP for Dhiggaru Constituency Ahmed Nazim and the MP for Maradhoo Constituency Ahmed Didi in the running.
