Ruling MDP has proposed unprecedented reforms to parliamentary procedures intending to break the present deadlock in the parliament, People’s Majlis.

In Maldives, the legislative business takes place in the People’s Majlis which is mandated by the constitution to function as both the lower and the upper houses of parliament.

In the reforms proposed, the parliamentary group of MDP decided to expand the powers of the unelected Secretary General of the Majlis who heads the Secretariat of the parliament.

If the reforms are passed and added to the present set of parliamentary rules, the Secretary General will be authorized to decide on a substitute who will head debates in the chamber when both the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker are not available to conduct normal business in the Majlis.

Moreover, the reforms propose to authorize the Secretary General to allocate debate-time, if a no-confidence motion has been introduced against the Speaker of the Majlis.

The reforms; believed to be debated on the floor shortly, to the parliamentary procedures were proposed by majority leader MP Mohamed Aslam.

Aslam said that the reforms were proposed to break the present deadlock in the Majlis and let the parliament resume normal business.