Changes proposed to extend term of local councils, from three to five years

The government is to increase the term of councilors from three years to five, and to hold a public vote to elect its leadership.

The Attorney General (AG) office said that a bill has been forwarded to the President’s Office; the bill was drafted as per the government’s plans to strengthen the country’s decentralization system and empower local council.

In addition to increasing the term of councilors from three to five years, the amendment bill seeks to establish atoll councils comprising of the presidents of island councils. In addition, presidents and vice presidents of all councils are to be elected through a public vote.

While former President Abdulla Yameen’s administration had restricted the powers and responsibilities of councils, restoring it is a campaign pledge of the incumbent president. As such, he ordered the reassignment of powers and responsibilities to councils in December last year.

The government aims to implement the Decentralization Act prior to the next year’s local council elections.

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih had said that the amendments to the decentralization framework will prioritize fiscal decentralization and accord powers to councils in order to collect revenue from services they provide as well as from the resources over which they have the jurisdiction.

As such, five percent of the government’s annual budget will be given to councils who will be allowed 40 percent of the revenue from leasing reefs and to 100 percent of the total revenue from renting land over which they have jurisdiction in inhabited islands. Council will also have rights to collect fees for their services and power to create and operate businesses that are beneficial for their constituents.

Proposed changes to the law also include reserving 33 percent of council seats to female candidates.

The local council elections are scheduled for April 2020.