The Parliament has voted to amend its Standing Order, removing the restriction that prevented more than one petition from being submitted on a single matter.
The change, proposed by Funadhoo MP Mohamed Mamdhooh, passed with 56 votes in favour and 10 against after receiving the General Purposes Committee’s endorsement.
Under the previous rules, a petition could not request an action already called for in an earlier petition, effectively blocking parallel advocacy on the same issue. The amendment’s relevance was highlighted during debates over the Decentralization Act, when two competing petitions—one seeking the withdrawal of an amendment by Thulhaadhoo MP Abdul Hannan Aboobakuru and another urging its accelerated adoption—could not both be entertained.
With the amendment now in effect, the Parliament Speaker announced that, starting today, legislators and citizens may submit multiple petitions on any single issue, expanding avenues for public participation and legislative scrutiny.