Abdullah Shahid, President of the opposition MDP, has stated that the constitutional amendment causing MPs to lose their seats if they change parties raises questions about the legitimacy of the current People's Majlis.

Responding to a journalist's question at a press conference held by MDP today, Shahid said that by rushing to pass this amendment to the Constitution within 10 hours without seeking public opinion or consulting relevant parties, not only has authoritarianism been prioritized, but it has also raised legal questions that need answers.

Referring to Article 75 of the Constitution, Shahid said that the Parliament needs to answer how MPs will now act according to that article. Otherwise, he said, MPs would face obstacles in implementing one article of the Constitution.

Article 75 of the Constitution states that MPs must act in the national interest and for the benefit and welfare of the people, and that no member should use their position to advance their personal interests or those of anyone with whom they have a special relationship. It also states that in representing their constituencies, MPs should consider the welfare and benefit of the entire country and all citizens.

However, Shahid said that according to yesterday's amendment, members now have to work only as the PNC dictates, and if they work otherwise, they will lose their seats.

Shahid said that when the Constitution was amended in 2008, it was decided to hold new parliamentary elections in 2009 before the end of the then-ongoing five-year term because the changes in the Constitution affected the Parliament, and the members at that time were elected under the previous Constitution.

"With the changes brought yesterday, the question we now face is whether these changes apply to the current members of Parliament, and if not, why not, and if so, why, as they were elected under a Constitution without this article," Shahid said.

Shahid said that the biggest question arising from yesterday's constitutional amendment is whether the current People's Majlis still has legitimacy with this change. He also said it raises the question of whether a new Parliament needs to be elected.

"For the rest of the Parliament's term, people will keep questioning whether the current Parliament can continue without the Constitution saying so after yesterday's amendment, and thus whether the current Parliament has any legal standing. People need answers to these questions," Shahid said.

Shahid said that yesterday's amendment has placed the other two powers of the state, the judiciary and the Parliament, under the control of the President."