Gov submits bill to remove Attorney General’s Office from civil service

The government has submitted a bill to remove the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) from under the civil service and grant it greater autonomy.

The first reading of the AGO bill, sponsored by South Maafannu MP Abdulla Rifau, was held at the Parliament on Monday morning.

The AGO is currently run under the civil service, and its staff are required to comply with civil service regulations. However, similar institutions declared in the Constitution, such as the Prosecutor General’s Office (PGO) operate under designated laws.

While the Constitution declares AGO as an independent state institution, it operates under the civil service, resulting in certain challenges, including in recruiting attorneys.

Because it needs to comply with civil service regulations, AGO’s salaries are lower than that of other independent state institutions.

According to the government, the purpose of the bill is “to establish a designated government institution in the same of the Attorney General’s Office that is separate from the Maldivian civil service in order to execute the responsibilities and duties mandated of the Attorney General.”

As per the bill, the staff of the AGO will be distributed into two categories; legal service and administrative service. According to the bill, the salaries will be determined by the Finance Ministry in accordance with the policies formulated by the National Pay Commission.

The bill also allows the option of enrolling AGO’s staff in an appropriate health insurance scheme.

The AGO bill also details the requirements, responsibilities and duties required of the Attorney General. As well as the responsibilities of the AGO, and the responsibilities of the staff and the standards they need to adhere to.