Parliament Urges Public to Avoid Spreading Misinformation Amid Rising Criticism

The People’s Majlis has called on the public to refrain from spreading misinformation and disinformation regarding the work of its members, amid growing public criticism about parliamentary performance.

In a statement issued today, Parliament highlighted that, under Article 85 of the Constitution, sittings and committee meetings are generally open to the public. This transparency is intended to ensure that citizens remain informed about the responsibilities and functions assigned to Parliament by Maldivian law.

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The statement also referred to Article 31 of the parliament procedure, which underlines the aim of broadcasting sessions and committee meetings: to raise awareness, provide accurate and impartial information, and educate citizens on parliamentary procedures and the handling of national matters.

The Parliament’s statement comes at a time when the public has increasingly criticised MPs over the effectiveness of their work. Recently, parliamentary sittings have been noticeably shortened, departing from the usual practice where sessions run for longer periods to discuss national issues in depth. Traditionally, Parliament sessions run until 2pm, with three sittings held each week. However, in recent weeks, sittings have been cut short, often ending around 10:30am, and the standard schedule of three sittings per week has not been consistently followed.

ނޫސް ބަޔާން 🔗: https://t.co/AkDvxDtWI7 pic.twitter.com/z4m1UdZHfZ— People's Majlis (@mvpeoplesmajlis) July 28, 2025

Today is also a scheduled sitting day, yet no sitting is being held, and Parliament has not announced any details or provided an explanation as to why. This follows last Wednesday’s sitting, during which the Speaker ended proceedings without announcing the date for the next sitting — a move that is considered highly unusual in parliamentary practice.

In its statement, Parliament stressed that detailed information on MPs’ work—including bills and resolutions submitted, questions directed to ministers, and matters raised in committees—is published on its official website to enhance public access. However, it cautioned that these figures alone do not fully represent the work undertaken by MPs.

“Many important responsibilities of the People’s Majlis are carried out within parliamentary committees, where members actively participate in discussions and decisions,” the statement read. It further noted that an MP’s contribution should not be measured solely by the number of bills or motions tabled, but also by their engagement in debate and committee work that shapes legislative outcomes.

Parliament concluded by urging everyone to act responsibly when sharing information about its activities and to ensure that details are verified as accurate before being shared publicly, so as not to mislead citizens about MPs’ true contributions.