Residents of Kudahuvadhoo island in Dhaalu atoll have staged a peaceful protest against the government’s proposed amendments to the Decentralization Act, currently before the People’s Majlis.

Participants expressed alarm over amendments that would abolish atoll councils and expand the authority of the Local Government Authority (LGA). The demonstration, held Friday evening in the Kudahuvadhoo harbor area, drew residents from across the political spectrum.

Protesters held banners and placards as they rejected the proposed changes, arguing that eliminating atoll councils under the pretext of strengthening decentralization would in fact erode public power.

Protesters also raised concerns that the amendments would end Kudahuvadhoo’s long-standing role as the capital of Dhaalu atoll. They warned that removing atoll councils would weaken inter-island ties within the atoll and obstruct development efforts.

Under the proposed changes, islands with fewer than 2,000 residents would elect three councilors, while those with populations above 2,000 would elect five. Protesters argued that this substantial reduction from the current system would limit public participation.

Although the amendments introduce mandatory female representation, they also reduce the size of the Women’s Development Committees (WDCs) by linking their membership to the number of councilors. The amendments further centralize authority by granting LGA the power to operate offices in every administrative division and establishing it as the body to which councils must report and be held accountable. Many observers view this as a shift toward centralization rather than a strengthening of decentralization.

To abolish atoll councils, the government has also proposed removing constitutional clauses related to them in Article 230(b), Article 231(a)(3), and Article 231(b). Protesters have called for these provisions to remain, warning that such constitutional changes represent an effort to restrict the rights of the people.