11th amendment to Decentralization Act, ratified

The 11th amendment to the Decentralization Act has been ratified.

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu ratified the 11th amendment to the Decentralization Act on Tuesday.

The amendment bill was passed by the People’s Majlis during the 14th sitting of the first parliament session of the year, held on March 18.

The amendment bill proposes amendments to Sections (b), (c), (d), (e), and (g) of Article 51 of the act, according to which city status will be conferred if the term of office for an existing council is shorter than one year, after the newly constituted council is elected.

Further, the designation of the island or group of islands as a city will follow if the existing council's term exceeds one year, subject to the procedures outlined in the amendment.

The existing island council will be reconstituted as the city council, upon the formal designation of an island as a city.

The roles of the president and vice president of the island council will be elevated to the positions of mayor and deputy mayor during this transition.

In addition to this, the act specifies that the terms of office for city council members will correspond with the original duration of their membership on the island council.

The act also stipulates that if a city is established to encompass all the islands within an administrative area, the atoll council for that administrative area will be dissolved.

After that, the city council will assume responsibility for the maintenance of the atoll council's facilities and the provision of its services.

Upon ratification, the act has been publicized in the government gazette and is now effective.