The second session of this year's 20th Parliament commenced on Monday but was suspended for a week.

The sole topic on Monday’s agenda was selecting someone for the open position of deputy speaker. The current elected PNC Eydhafushi member of parliament, Ahmed Saleem, assumed the role.

Following the vote, Speaker Abdul Raheem Abdulla declared that the next Parliament session is scheduled for next Monday.

According to parliamentary regulations, sessions for this period start on Monday and run until August 15.

The regulations specify that the initial session of every year takes place from February 1 to May 15. This year's initial session was postponed to last month because of the effort to oust Dhiggaru MP Ahmed Nazim from the deputy speaker role.

Nazim stepped down thirty minutes prior to the Sunday meeting.

It is important to mention that the initial session of this year did not run normally. Committee meetings were also not conducted regularly.

MPs with government majority enjoy substantial salaries and generous state-sponsored perks. The state budget designates considerable resources each year to operate the parliamentary administration. Nonetheless, there is ongoing public discontent that MPs do not perform relative to the salaries and benefits they earn.