Male' City Council ends term without quorum for the eighth straight week

The last session of Male' City Council for this term ended without being able to convene, after it once again failed to meet quorum.

This is the eighth consecutive week that Male' City Council has been unable to hold a meeting due to the quorum issue.

As with last week’s sitting, only eight councillors attended Wednesday’s session. The quorum for Male' City Council, which comprises 18 councillors and a mayor, is 10 councillors.

However, as this was the final scheduled sitting of the term, Mayor Adam Azim allowed the councillors who attended to deliver closing remarks and say what they wished.

Azim concluded the session by stating that the amendment brought to the Decentralization Act last August to restrict council powers had made it difficult for the council to recruit staff and function effectively. He added that the salaries of the council’s administrative staff had not been increased because the Pay Commission had blocked the move.

It is notable that meetings of the ruling PNC‑majority Male' City Council have repeatedly failed to reach quorum due to the absence of many councillors representing the party.

Meanwhile, many incumbent councillors contested the local council elections held earlier last month and lost. The opposition MDP won the election with a clear majority.