The House of Representatives on Tuesday descended into chaos as lawmakers disagreed over a motion to overturn an earlier provision approved in the Electoral Act Amendment Bill.
The House descended into rowdiness following a controversial voice vote presided over by Speaker Abbas Tajudeen to overturn its decision.
The controversial resolution followed a motion moved by Rep. Francis Waive pursuant to Order Nine, Rule 1 (6) of the House Standing Orders.
Moving the motion, Rep. Waive recalled that the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill was passed by the House on Tuesday, December 23, 2025.
The House member however, informed the House that the joint harmonisation committee of the Senate and House identified anomalies contained in the amendment bill.
He said the joint committee discovered inconsistencies and unintended consequences in some of the provisions enshrined in the legislation.
Rep. Waive stressed the need to ensure that electoral timelines and statutory provisions promote maximum participation, fairness, inclusivity, administrative efficiency and public confidence in the electoral system.
“It has become imperative to correct the identified inconsistencies and unintended consequences through appropriate legislative action in order to safeguard the integrity of the electoral framework,” he argued.
He, therefore, urged the House to rescind its decision on the bill and recommit it to the Committee of the Whole for fresh consideration.
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When Speaker Tajudeen put the motion to a voice vote, the “nays” appeared to be louder than the “ayes” on the floor.
However, the speaker ruled in favour of the “ayes,” declaring the motion carried.
The speaker’s ruling sparked immediate protests from anggrieved lawmakers, who shouted in objection, accusing Speaker Abbas of ignoring the majority voice vote opposing the motion.
The plenary subsequently degenerated into a chaotic situation, with members raising their voices and engaging in heated exchanges across the aisles.
Despite the uproar, Speaker Abbas stood his ground.
In a bid to restore order and further deliberate on the matter, the House subsequently moved into a closed-door session.
