A constitutional amendment bill has been proposed to the Parliament to align the terms of the Parliament such that the presidential and parliamentary elections can be held simultaneously.
Through the bill submitted on behalf of the government by Member of Parliament Ibrahim Falah, the government aims to hold both elections together to increase voter turnout and reduce election costs.
The proposed bill adjusts rules for calculating the term of the Parliament. It states that the parliamentary term will be five years from 1 December, after which the Parliament will be dissolved.
With this change, the 20th Parliament’s term, currently set to expire in 2029, will be shortened to accommodate the combined elections, and will now expire 1 December 2028. Upon its dissolution, the first sitting of the succeeding Parliament must be held the same day.
The first reading of the proposed constitutional amendment, as well as amendments to the Maldives Pension Act, and the Maldives Penal Code Act, will be heard at a special session of the Parliament scheduled for 5 January.