A month after a failed assassination bid on the Maldives’s former president Mohammed Nasheed, the country’s parliament has approved a bill allowing official residence for speaker and chief justice because of security concerns. 

Nasheed, who is the speaker of parliament, was attacked on 6 May just outside his home in Male. Later, during the security audit, it was found that providing full security at the area where his home was located wasn’t possible for various reasons.

Of the three state pillars, only the president was allowed to have an official residence. 

The government presented two bills to make the necessary changes - a bill to amend the Parliament’s Privileges and Powers Act and a bill to amend the Judges Act. Both bills were passed with the unanimous consensus of 56 parliamentarians during the parliamentary sitting on Monday afternoon.

It will be compulsory for the government now to arrange official residences for the two top officials and their families, along with “an adequate number of staff and expenses for the residence”.

The Speaker’s residence will be staffed by the Parliament, while the Chief Justice’s residence will be staffed by the Supreme Court. The bill also stated the location of residences should be suitable for making all security arrangements. The Maldives National Defense Force will be given charge of providing security. 

(SAM)