The People's National Congress (PNC) and the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) have nominated their candidates for the post of Deputy Speaker of Parliament.

The PNC has put forward Eydhafushi MP Ahmed Saleem, while the MDP has nominated Vaikaradhoo MP Hussain Ziyad.

The nominations were submitted during Monday's parliamentary sitting. Ahmed Saleem was nominated by PNC Parliamentary Group Leader and Majority Leader Ibrahim Falah, while Hussain Ziyad's nomination was submitted by MDP Acting Chairperson Abdul Ghafoor Moosa.

The Deputy Speaker will be elected through a secret ballot of Members of Parliament. A five-member committee has been appointed to oversee the voting process.

The committee was approved unanimously by all 65 members present after a motion submitted by Ibrahim Falah and seconded by Abdul Latheef Mohamed.

The position became vacant after Dhiggaru MP Ahmed Nazim resigned as Deputy Speaker shortly before Parliament was due to vote on a motion seeking his removal.