Bill submitted to Parliament to restore Atoll Councils to former status instead of abolition

A proposal has been submitted to the People’s Majlis to reinstate Atoll Councils to their former status, rather than dissolving them, in order to implement the comprehensive decentralized system envisioned by the Constitution.

The proposal was submitted by Mohamed Ibrahim, the Member of Parliament for the North Galolhu constituency.

In a letter addressed to the Speaker of the People’s Majlis, Abdul Raheem Abdulla, he noted that Article 230(a) of the Constitution of the Republic of Maldives mandates that the administrative divisions of the country be governed through a decentralized system. He further highlighted that, pursuant to Article 230(b) of the Constitution, the decentralization framework was established through a specific Act enacted in 2010. This legislation led to the creation of administrative bodies, designated positions, and the formation of Island, Atoll, and City Councils, marking the beginning of a process to develop and strengthen the decentralized governance of the Maldives.

However, Ibrahim stated that the current administration's decision to abolish atoll councils—a vital component of the decentralized framework—has undermined the system envisioned by the Constitution. To restore the full decentralized governance model as intended by the Constitution, Ibrahim has proposed an amendment to Article 230 of the Constitution of the Republic of Maldives. This amendment seeks to reinstate atoll councils to their previous status rather than dismantling them.

The case was filed on Tuesday.