Petition submitted to Majlis calling for withdrawal of amendment allowing land seizure from councils!
9 އޯގަސްޓު 2026 | އާދީއްތަ 10:51Public concern is mounting among citizens and local councils over proposed amendments to the Decentralization Act, which critics argue would strip councils of their authority and allow the central government to reclaim lands currently under local jurisdiction. Contending that these changes undermine the fundamental spirit of the decentralized system, a petition has been submitted to the People’s Majlis calling for the immediate withdrawal of the bill.
President meets with former members of the B. Thulhaadhoo Island Council and Women's Development Committee. | Presidents Office
An e-petition has been submitted to the People’s Majlis calling for the withdrawal of a bill proposed by Thulhaadhoo MP Abdul Hannan Aboobakuru, which seeks to amend the Decentralization Act.
On behalf of the government, Member of Parliament for the Thulhaadhoo constituency, Abdul Hannaan Aboobakuru, has proposed several amendments to the Decentralization Act. The proposed amendments seek to modify the Act to allow the government to reclaim lands and areas within the jurisdiction of local councils for the implementation of national development projects, should the government decide to remove such locations from a island or city's jurisdiction.
The petition, submitted by Midhuam Saud of Asseyri, S. Maradhoo-Feydhoo, contends that the ultimate consequence of the proposed amendments is the erosion of the authority of elected councilors, effectively transferring their powers to the Cabinet. Furthermore, the petition highlights that these amendments would grant the Cabinet the authority to penalize elected representatives on the grounds of opposing or failing to cooperate with government decisions.
Furthermore, the petition highlights that the proposed amendments restrict the public's right to have a say in their own affairs. It asserts that these changes contradict both the letter and spirit of the Decentralization Act by undermining the authority of the people, from whom all power originates. Consequently, the petition calls for the immediate withdrawal of the bill.
Expressing their deep concern and calling for the withdrawal of the proposed amendment, the island councils of B. Fehendhoo and B. Thulhaadhoo have both unanimously passed resolutions demanding the bill be rescinded. In their respective resolutions, the two councils asserted that these amendments directly contravene the principle of popular sovereignty enshrined in Article 4 of the Constitution. They further stated that the changes undermine the objectives of decentralized administration as outlined in Chapter 8, and represent a significant reversal of the democratic progress achieved by the Maldives.
The resolution states that one of the most significant milestones achieved since the introduction of the decentralization system is the legal determination of island jurisdictions and the granting of ownership to local communities. It further notes that the framework for utilizing these jurisdictions has been established and approved with the full participation and support of the public.
However, the two councils stated that if the newly proposed amendment is passed into law, it would grant central authorities in Malé the power to seize any part of a local jurisdiction at any time and in any manner they choose. They warned that this would effectively strip local residents of their rightful ownership and control over their own administrative territories.
