President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has discussed upcoming bills to be submitted during the current parliamentary session with the Speaker of the Parliament Abdul Raheem Abdulla and the Peoples’ National Congress (PNC)’s Parliamentary Group Leader Ibrahim Falaah.
Presidential Spokesperson Heena Waleed said such meetings are routinely held at the start of each parliamentary session.
Delivering the Presidential Address at the Parliament’s opening for this year, President Muizzu outlined several amendments to the Constitution and legislative reforms, stating that they would be sent for Parliamentary approval during the ongoing session.
In the Presidential Address, the President announced plans to amend the Constitution to restructure the Judicial Service Commission (JSC), and introduce legislation to define policies for a general referendum, and for determining the number of parliamentary seats.
The President also announced that the government will introduce a new Land Bill, Real Estate Business Bill and Housing Bill to address the long-standing housing issues facing the Maldives. The President further announced that he would propose important amendments to strengthen anticorruption measures, including amendments to the Anti-Corruption Act, the Penal Code and the Criminal Procedure Act. The President said that an Asset Recovery Bill is also being drafted to reclaim state assets acquired below market value.
Other bills proposed this year:
• Maldives International Financial Services Authority Bill
• Amendments to the National Language Priority Bill
• A special law on the 20-year National Development Plan
• Amendments to the Employment Act and the Decentralization Act
Last year, the government submitted similar constitutional and legislative reforms to support national development in various sectors as well as to uphold the Maldives’ independence and sovereignty.