Nasheed says constitutional reform must be completed by end of the month

Minister of Legal Reform Information and Arts Mohamed Nasheed has said that ongoing constitutional reform must be completed by the end of this month. He said considering the fact that the ongoing presidential term expires on November 10 and the party which wins the elections should take charge of the government by November 11 latest and the ongoing constitutional reform process must be completed and sent to the President’s Office for ratification before the end of this month. Minister Nasheed made the statement speaking to members of the press after a briefing of the foreign diplomats in the country on the ongoing reform agenda. The briefing was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Answering a question from Miadhu Daily Minister Nasheed said the government’s to complete the reform process by the end of the month is based on the fact that the Party who wins forthcoming presidential election must assume powers of the government before the Novermber 11. He stated that the government cannot make a decision on what is being carried out by the Special Majlis. He further said if the constitutional reform process is not be completed by the end of this month and if the constitution is not ratified during April, then the delay would seriously affect the rest of the events to come.

“30 March is not a deadline for the completion of constitutional reform process, government cannot make that decision, government has no authority to make such a deadline” said Minister Nasheed.

At the briefing which was participated by Justice Minister Muiz Adnan, Attorney General Azima Shukoor and Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid , Minister Nasheed also said the constitutional reform process must be completed and the constitution ratified during next April in order to have smooth multiparty elections.

“New Bills can only be submitted to the Majlis only after the ratification of the new constitution, without the ratification Majlis will not accept these Bill based on the new constitution, that is what we are all working to achieve, that is how our internal schedule is planned and that is the sprit of all the Majlis members as well” said Nasheed.
When asked what will happen if elections cannot be held as scheduled due to failure to complete constitution reform Minister Nasheed that it was not an option. He said government does not employ such thinking. He said the task may be difficult but not impossible.

“If the constitutional reform process is not completed by end of 30 March, then other stages will be affected, they will come under pressure, may have to be shortened and speeded up, what ever it may be we have to hold multiparty elections under the new constitution, not having a multiparty election is not a scenario we can accept” said Minister Nasheed.