Majlis opening and Presidential address on 2 March

Friday, February 20th, 2009

President Mohamed Nasheed will deliver his first Presidential Address on 2 March 2009 at the first meeting of the first session of the People’s Majlis. According to the new Constitution the President shall address the People’s Majlis at the beginning of the first session of each year on the state of the country, and may present proposals for improving the state of the country to the Majlis.

The Majlis was ceremonially opened every year by the President on the Thursday of the last week of February in a separate meeting until the new Constitution was ratified and came into effect. However, there will not be a separate meeting to open the Majlis and the President will deliver his address in the first meeting of the first session of the Majlis as a result of the changes brought about by the new Constitution.

Former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom ceremonially opened the Majlis and delivered the Presidential address on the Thursday of the last week of February every year during his presidency under the previous constitution.

The Constitution also requires the Majlis to have three sessions every year according to the Regulations of the Proceedings of the Majlis. The first session of this year will be from 1 March to 30 April, second session from 1 June to 31 August and third session from October to 31 December.

The new Constitution has stated in its Chapter on transitional matters that the first election of members to the People’s Majlis shall be held before 15 February 2009, and the People’s Majlis elected shall after taking and subscribing the oath of office and assumption of office, hold the first meeting of the first People’s Majlis elected before 1 March 2009. However, due to the time required to complete the necessary laws and other administrative arrangements, the election of the Majlis has now been delayed. The two laws on election of the People’s Majlis, and electoral boundaries have been enacted early this month and the Election Commission says they hope to hold the election in early May.

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