People’s National Congress (PNC) lawmaker Ahmed Azaan Marzooq has been kicked out of two of the most important committees of the Parliament – the Public Accounts Committee and the Security Services Committee (241 Committee).
These changes, along with additional changes to the composition of committees, were announced by Speaker Abdul Raheem Abdulla during a sitting on Monday morning.
The changes:
Azaan replaced with North Henveiru MP Ahmed Aifan on the Public Accounts Committee.
Azan replaced with Vilimale’ MP Mohamed Ismail on the Security Services Committee.
Mohamed Ismail replaced with Azaan on the Privileges and Ethics Committee.
Aifan replaced with Azaan on Petition Committee
The move to kick Azaan out of the key parliamentary committees come amid rumors that the young lawmaker will soon get expelled from the ruling PNC for his refusal last week to back a controversial bill to downsize the Supreme Court bench from seven to five justices.
The bill followed weekslong allegations by the opposition that the government was seeking to dismiss some of the members of the top court’s bench to influence a case challenging a contentious amendment to add anti-defection provisions to the Constitution.
The constitutional amendment in question was submitted, passed and ratified in quick succession on November 20. The controversial amendment added three more circumstances where parliamentarians will lose their seat, including if they are expelled from their political party.
Former Kendhoo MP Ali Hussain, an attorney-at-law, filed a constitutional case with the top court on November 24, arguing that the amendment violates key provisions of the Constitution, as well as the basic structure doctrine.
Hearings in the case began on February 17 – nearly three months after the case was filed. The state filed a motion to have the case tossed out, arguing that the Supreme Court does not have the jurisdiction to hear it. But the bench decided on February 18 to proceed with the case, and gave the state 10 days to build their case.
The rushed passage of the bill on February 26 came just one hour ahead of a hearing scheduled at the Supreme Court regarding a request for an injunction to suspend the enforcement of the anti-defection clauses.
But shortly before the hearing had been set to begin at 11:00 am, the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) announced that three Supreme Court justices – Husnu Al-Suood, Dr. Azmiralda Zahir and Mahaz Ali Zahir – had been suspended in light of criminal investigations against them by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
With the suspension of the justices, the key constitutional case has now stalled.
Azaan was seen quietly walking out of the chamber as the voting began on the contentious judicature bill, despite getting threatened with disciplinary action by the PNC and getting kicked out of the WhatsApp group for the party's parliamentary group, after he chose to skip the previous day's vote when the bill was accepted into the Parliament.
In a statement regarding the decision, Azaan said that he constitutes to stand by the promise he made during his parliamentary campaign - to prioritize the interests of his constituents and the nation above all else.
Azaan said he believes the bill violates the Constitution, and that supporting it would be in violation of Article 75 of the Constitution, which declares that parliamentarians should be guided in their actions by considerations of national interest and public welfare foremost, and should not exploit their official positions in any way for their own benefit or for the benefit of those with whom they have special relations.
The journalist-turned-lawmaker now faces possible expulsion from the PNC and the loss of his parliamentary seat.
However, while the PNC’s steering committee for his constituency has issued a statement condemning his actions, the ruling party has yet to impose any overt disciplinary action against Azaan.
Opposition leaders, including former president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom, have pledged to back Azaan in the byelection if he loses his seat.