People’s Majlis on Monday passed the motion seeking to repeal the 2015 amendment allowing foreign ownership of land in Maldives.

The bill seeking to repeal the amendment made to the Maldives Law Act on 22 July 2015 that allows foreigners to own land in the Maldives by the administration of former President Abdulla Yameen, was passed with the majority votes of 64 sitting members.

64 votes were required to the pass the bill, submitted last year by South-Maafannu constituency MP and then-ruling Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM) Parliamentary Group member Abdulla Rifaau.

Committee on National Security had then reviewed MP Rifau’s motion and a report passed it to the parliament floor on Monday for review.

The motion reads that allowing foreigners to purchase and permanently hold land in the Maldives "undermines" the country’s full independence and sovereignty.

In 2015, the amendment was passed with a majority of 70 lawmakers, 10 of which were members of then-opposition Maldivian Democratic Party.

Following the amendment in 2015, the opposition, politicians as well as the neighboring countries had expressed dismay over it.