An amendment to the Decentralization Act has been ratified, removing the requirement to hold by-elections for vacant council seats if less than 18 months remain before the next scheduled council election.

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu ratified the 15th amendment bill to Law No. 7/2010 (Decentralization Act of the Administrative Divisions of the Maldives) on Monday.

The amendment was decided upon to address the issue of increasing frequency of council member seats becoming vacant during the term of local councils, resulting in repeated by-elections in large numbers and increasing associated costs.

Some reforms that will come with the newly ratified amendment include:

If a council president's position becomes vacant when the remaining term of the council is 548 days or less, a member should not be elected to fill that vacant position unless the number of remaining members is insufficient to meet the quorum required to hold a council meeting.

If a member's position in a Women's Development Committee becomes vacant when the remaining term of the committee is 548 days or less, a member should not be elected to fill that vacant position unless the number of remaining members is insufficient to meet the quorum required to hold a committee meeting.

The bill was passed by the People’s Majlis during the 32nd sitting of the first session of 2025 on May 15.

The bill was passed with 55 votes at the People’s Majlis. 11 lawmakers voted against passing the bill. The amendment to the Decentralization Act of the Administrative Divisions of the Maldives was proposed on behalf of the government by Ali Moosa, MP for Hoarafushi constituency representing the main ruling People’s National Congress (PNC). He proposed changes to numbers 15, 29, 45, and 56-6.

Following the president's ratification of the bill for the 15th amendment to Law No. 7/2010 (Decentralization Act of the Administrative Divisions of the Maldives), it has been published in the Government Gazette with immediate effect.