Parliament is set to call two extraordinary sessions this month amid the looming deadline to fill vacancies in two key independent commissions.
Chief ruling party lawmaker and Inguraidhoo Constituency MP Ibrahim Falah said the two extraordinary sessions will be held on 16th and 20th January.
The extraordinary sessions are being held to vote on the nominations for the Elections Commission (EC) and Maldives Broadcasting Commission (MBC), in addition to other urgent orders of business that are in need of immediate Parliament attention, Falah explained.
The Parliament ended its sessions for 2024 and is currently in recess until the first week of February.
President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has sent in nominations for membership of the EC and MBC for Parliament approval in December last year.
The nominations were sent as the terms of Broadcasting Commission President Mariam Waheeda and Commission Member Ali Yoosuf had expired. The President has sent a dozen names to the Parliament in the order of his preference.
The President has also sent two names to Parliament for appointment to the Election Commission after the posts of Vice President Ali Nashath and Member Mohamed Asif became vacant.
However, the Parliament was unable to approve the nominations before going into recess last year.
According to the Elections Commission Act, any vacancy of the EC members must be filled within 60 days, which will expire well before the Parliament sessions begin for the year.