Maldivian Parliament elects new Speaker

Male  :  The Maldives Parliament has voted to elect Jumhooree Party leader Gasim Ibrahim as the new Parliament Speaker, the media reported.

Gasim was elected to the post late on Thursday after Speaker Abdulla Maseeh Mohamed stepped down, Xinhua news agency reported.

Gasim secured the Speaker's post after receiving the backing of 62 lawmakers out of the 80 lawmakers who had voted in a secret ballot. 

The new Speaker was nominated by President-elect Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and another lawmaker. 

Parliament met late Thursday after Abdulla Maseeh Mohamed handed over his resignation, just hours before he was to face a no-confidence vote.

The no-confidence motion was signed by 51 lawmakers in the 85 member House and was brought to the Parliament floor last week.