Constitutional amendment on floor crossing ratified

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has ratified the constitutional amendment on floor crossing.

President Muizzu ratified the constitutional amendment that would result in the loss of parliamentary membership if a lawmaker defects, is expelled from their party, or if an independent member joins a party.

With the ratification of this constitutional amendment, a member of parliament will lose their seat if they change political parties, are expelled from their party, or if an independent member joins a party during the term of the parliament.

The amendment to the constitution was proposed by pro-government MP for Hulhudhoo constituency Mohamed Shahid.

The first reading of the bill was held at the People’s Majlis on Wednesday morning.

The bill to amend the constitution was passed for consideration with 69 votes before noon on Wednesday.

Citing the need to expedite the bill's process, the parliament, which is under the president’s full control, decided to send the bill to the Whole House Committee.

The Whole House Committee began its work, and in the vote taken in the committee, 75 out of 89 members present voted to pass the bill. 13 members voted against passing the bill.

After swiftly concluding the committee work, the parliament session resumed close to nightfall. In the final vote, 78 members voted in favor of the government-proposed constitutional amendment bill, while 13 members voted against it.

In the floor vote to pass the bill, MDP members and independent MP for Addu Meedhoo constituency Abdul Rahman voted against the bill.

The constitutional amendments brought by the government include provisions for loss of membership upon changing parties, expulsion from parties, or joining other parties; stipulating that any part of Maldivian territory can only be ceded with parliamentary approval; and specifying that foreign military presence in the Maldives is only allowed with parliamentary approval.

The parliamentary process for the constitutional amendment bill took approximately nine hours.

The Muizzu administration's sudden move to make significant constitutional changes without any public consultation or opportunity for relevant stakeholders to provide input, prompted members and supporters of the main-opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) to protest "in defense of the constitution" near the parliament building on Wednesday afternoon. Government supporters arrived at the scene in an attempt to disrupt the protest and incite unrest.

Upon ratification of the bill, it has been published in the government gazette.

The law will come into effect from the date of its publication in the government gazette.