Committee approves minor changes to solve councilor's terms issue

The Parliament’s Committee of the Whole House Sub Committee has approved to extend the terms of councilors for administrative districts in the country by adding making some extremely minor amendments to the Constitution.

Due to the state of public health emergency invoked in the Maldives regarding COVID-19, the local council elections scheduled originally scheduled for April 4, was pushed back.

In order fill the perceived void in the law that could arise from this, MP for Biledhdhoo Ahmed Haleem had proposed amending the Constitution to extend the terms of current councilors.

The bill is being assessed by the Whole House Sub Committee. In a Committee meeting tonight, it voted in favor of nullifying the first chapter of the bill and adding two letters to Article 231 of the Constitution.

The move was proposed by MP for Central Henveiru and MDP PG group leader Ali Azim. MDP enjoys a super-majority in parliament.

MP Azim proposed to make some extremely minor amendments to the Constitution’s Article 231 (F), which will see current councilors remain in power until new ones are elected to the post if their terms expire before the local council elections are held. 

The MP’s proposal put forward changes to Article 231 (G) so that the councilors remaining in their posts are to carry out their duties under a transitional policy through an Act to be enacted by the Parliament.