Parliament on Unannounced Break Until 4 August

The People’s Majlis has gone into recess until 4 August, despite scheduled sittings on Tuesday and today, without issuing an official announcement to the public.

The last sitting of Parliament was convened on last Wednesday, when Speaker Abdul Raheem Abdulla adjourned the sitting without setting a date for the next convening — a move seen as highly unusual in parliamentary practice. No sittings have been held since, and no formal explanation has been provided for the interruption to the usual schedule.

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An MP, speaking to MV+ on condition of anonymity, said members had been informed by message that sittings would resume after the current school holiday, on 4 August.

The unexpected break comes at a time of growing public criticism over parliamentary performance. In recent weeks, sittings have been noticeably shortened, departing from the usual practice of debating national issues in depth until around 2pm. Sessions have instead often concluded by 10:30am, and the standard schedule of three sittings per week has not been consistently maintained.

Opposition members have voiced concern over the suspension of sittings, stating that pending legislative work remains and attributing the slowdown in parliamentary activity partly to delays by the Attorney General’s Office in submitting several bills.

In response, Speaker Abdul Raheem Abdulla emphasised that even if there is limited business to address on the floor of the House, parliamentary committees continue to operate, with much of Parliament’s work taking place at the committee stage.

In its recent statement, the People’s Majlis stressed that detailed information on MPs’ activities—including bills and resolutions submitted, questions directed to ministers, and matters raised in committees—is available to the public via its official website. However, it cautioned that these figures alone do not fully capture the scope of MPs’ responsibilities.

“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.

The Majlis has not yet addressed why sittings were suspended or why the new recess was not formally announced in advance.