The parliament sitting set for today has started at the parliament building with protective measures and the Speaker of the Parliament and the MPs wearing face masks.

After a number of online sittings and committee meetings, this is the first parliament sitting at the parliament floor since the nation went under lock down amid the COVID-19 epidemic.

The parliament staff and MPs were wearing face masks at the sitting with some wearing gloves as well.

When the parliament sitting was announced on agenda yesterday, some MPs have protested the sitting stating that it cannot be held without the approval of the Health Protection Agency (HPA) and it would be outside the law to do so.

However, speaking at the parliament sitting today, Speaker of the Parliament, the former President Mohamed Nasheed, said that the sitting is underway in line with the instructions of the HPA. And before the sitting started, Maldives Police Service provided information on behalf of the HPA to the parliament staff.

In a letter from the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Dr. Abdulla Fairoosh to the Speaker of the Parliament noted the precautions before the sittings that include checking the temperature of those entering the parliament floor, keeping a distance of three feet when entering and leaving and ensuring that no one with symptoms of COVID-19 enters the floor along with arranging washing or hand sanitizers available.

The parliament is also advised to disinfect frequently touched personal items such as desks, pens keyboards and mouse and cover properly when coughing and sneezing according to the general advisement.

While the sitting today began with 47 MPs, the Speaker of the Parliament said that five MPs cannot attend due to quarantine.