The People's Majlis () is the unicameral legislative body of the Maldives. It has the authority to enact, amend and revise laws, as outlined in the Constitution of the Maldives. It is composed of 93 members as of 2024.
Each year on the first Monday or Thursday of February, the Majlis is opened by the President of the Maldives. During the opening of ceremony, the president outlines his policies and achievements in his presidential term. The annual state budget is decided here. Its working language is Dhivehi.
Etymology Majlis is the Arabic word for a sitting room. It can also refer to a legislature, and is used in the names of legislative councils and assemblies in some states of the Islamic world.
History A council was set up by Sultan Muhammad Shamsuddeen III to draft the Constitution of the Maldives on 9 March 1931. The council completed and implemented the constitution on 22 December 1932. This constitution was the basis for the formation, of the first ever Majlis of the Maldives. The meetings of this Majlis were held in the "Hakura Ganduvaru". The first president or the speaker of the Majlis was Al Ameer Mohammed Farid Didi. Maldives was then ruled by a sultan and the advent of the new constitution was seen as a threat to the sultanate. Thus, mobs were instigated against the constitution and it was publicly torn up. Since then the constitution of the Maldives has been revised a number of times.
During the era of First Republic of the Maldives from 1953 to 1954, there was a bicameral legislature which included Senate of the Maldives. The Republican constitution was abolished in January 1954 and unicameral legislature was restored.
Parliament building construction The present parliamentary building of the People's Majlis was inaugurated on 1 August 1998, with the presence of Pakistan's then-Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. The building was built with the assistance of the Pakistani government, who provided a grant of Rs. 45 million ($4.25 million) for its construction.
Incidents 2003 Maldives Unrest: In 2003, amid unrest that unfolded after the killing of political prisoner Hassan Evan Naseem by security personnel at Maafushi Prison, some rioters threw stones at the Parliament building.
2012 Maldives Crisis: The opening session of Parliament was halted when protesters blocked Mohamed Waheed Hassan from entering the building.
Assassination of Afrasheem Ali: On 2 October 2012, Member of Parliament Afraasheem Ali was fatally stabbed near his home in Malé. The murder of a sitting legislator marked one of the most serious acts of violence against a member of the Majlis.
2024 Legislative violence over cabinet appointments: In 2024, there were physical altercations between opposition and government parliamentarians over the cabinet appointments of president Mohamed Muizzu. Opposition MPs were later hospitalized.
2025 protests and expulsions during Maldives Media and Broadcasting Regulation Act debate: parliamentary proceedings were disrupted during debates on the Maldives Media and Broadcasting Regulation Bill. Opposition MPs protested inside the chamber, and some were forcibly removed. At the same time, journalists staged protests inside and outside the Majlis building, with reports of arrests and use of force by police.
2026 removal of government party MP by Supreme Court over debit issue: In 12 April 2026, the Supreme Court removed a sitting ruling member of parliament from office over failure to comply with a court ruling related to a financial dispute. The decision marked one of the first disqualifications affecting members of the 20th Majlis.
Members and elections The constitution of the Maldives was re-written in 2008, and the composition, electorates and powers of the Majlis changed drastically. After the change, Majlis had 85 seats, one from each electorate, has an elected speaker from among members, has substantially expanded powers, has been elected in multi-party elections since 2009 and generally resembles the legislatures in other liberal democracies.
Two members are elected from each administrative atoll under the new constitution. Another two members are elected from the capital Malé. The president appoints 8 members to the Majlis. In the past the Majlis was fully controlled by the ruling regime, but it has since changed following the adoption of the new constitution in 2008 and the first multi party election in 2009.
The members are elected for a five-year term. Before the ending of the duration for the existing Majlis, a general election is held to elect a new Majlis. Usually a new Majlis is elected thirty days prior to the expiration of the existing Majlis.
Once elected, members begin their parliamentary responsibilities after taking the oath of office, stipulated in article 67 of the constitution. Members are guaranteed parliamentary immunity under the constitution.
Before the 2019 elections, an additional 2 seats were created after two districts in Male’ were split.
In the 2024 parliamentary election which was conducted on 21 April 2024 included 93 constituencies: #CodeConstituencyPopulation1A01 Hoarafushi 35402A02Ihavandhoo 34573A03Baarashu 34834A04Dhidhoo 30785A05 Kelaa 31886B01Hanimaadhoo 31287B02Nolhivaram 33168B03 Vaikaradhoo 28139B04Kulhudhuffushi North355910B05 Kulhudhuffushi South351411B06Makunudhoo 345712C01 Kanditheemu 351013C02Milandhoo 308514C03 Komandoo 341215C04Funadhoo 340016D01Kendhikulhudhoo 326717D02 Manadhoo 313918D03Velidhoo 303019D04Holhudhoo 306320E01 Alifushi 363521E02 Ungoofaaru 331322E03Dhuvaafaru 347923E04 Inguraidhoo 357424E05 Maduvvari 336825F01Thulhaadhoo 342626F02 Eydhafushi 252727F03Kendhoo 259128F04 Hithaadhoo 240129G01Hinnavaru 380830G02Naifaru 409431G03 Kurendhoo 208932H01Kaashidhoo 285333H02Thulusdhoo 207434H03Maafushi 282535H04Huraa 234536I01 Maamigili 287837I02Mahibadhoo 268538I03 Dhangethi 253839J01 Felidhoo 103940J02Keyodhoo 91541K01Dhiggaru 269842K02 Mulaku 279543L01Bileydhoo 245944L02Nilandhoo 195045M01 Meedhoo 269746M02Kudahuvadhoo 315547N01 Vilufushi 290548N02 Thimarafushi 287449N03 Kinbidhoo 326850N04Guraidhoo 270751O01 Isdhoo 330552O02Gamu 386953O03Fonadhoo 306454O04Maavashu 303855P01 Villingili274256P02Dhaandhoo 262357P03Gemanafushi 296758P04 Kolamaafushi 235859Q01 Thinadhoo North295460Q02 Thinadhoo South267961Q03Madaveli 314162Q04Faresmaathodaa 349463Q05 Gadhdhoo 345564R01 Fuvahmulah North364865R02Fuvahmulah Central307066R03Fuvahmulah South284367S01Hulhudhoo 284368S02 Feydhoo South270669S03Maradhoo 275470S04 Hithadhoo North402871S05Hithadhoo Central428072S06 Hithadhoo South407173S07Addu–Meedhoo228774S08Feydhoo North298975T01 Hulhumale South319376T02Henveiru Central301077T03Henveiru South267578T04Henveiru North240279T05 Galolhu North391480T06 Galolhu South403381T07 Machangolhi North284282T08 Machangolhi South269183T09Maafannu North387884T10Maafannu West355585T11Maafannu Central369786T12Maafannu South288487T13Villimale 322788T14Henveiru West280689T15Machangolhi Central282090T16 Hulhumale Central 423091T17Hulhumale North322092U01Mathiveri 295093U02Thoddoo 3024
Speaker of the People's Majlis
A speaker is elected among the Members. The speaker chairs the meetings of the Majlis, is responsible for maintaining order in the chamber and supervises the administrative affairs of the Majlis. The speaker is next in line to be the acting president in case of a vacancy in the president's position, until a new council to govern the state is elected.
A deputy speaker is also chosen to assist the speaker of the Majlis and to run the Majlis, when the Speaker is absent or is not fit to fulfill the responsibilities of the Speaker.
Speaker of the Special Majlis
NameEntered officeLeft officeNotesAbbas Ibrahim20042006Speaker of Special Majlis
Sittings of the Majlis The sittings of the Majlis are divided into three sessions a year. The speaker has the authority to assign the dates for the commencing and closing of the Majlis sessions. For a Majlis session to commence, the meeting should be presided by the speaker or the deputy speaker. The quorum of the Majlis is 26 and this number is required to begin a session of the Majlis. If the quorum is not present, the speaker has to adjourn the session. Most Majlis meetings are open to the public.
Committees There are two types of committees in the Majlis. They are the standing committees and the selected committees. There are eleven standing committees in the Majlis, which is responsible for proposing amendments to bills or matters presented to Majlis floor, researching of the proposed bills or matters presented to the Majlis. Members are elected for a period of two and a half years for the standing committees. The responsibility of the standing committees varies, depending on its purpose.
Unlike the standing committees, the selected committees are temporary and it's dissolved, once the selected purpose is over. Usually selected committees are made to investigate or research matters related to a present circumstance or an incident. All the committees are chaired by the speaker or the deputy speaker or a person appointed by the speaker. The Majlis decides the number of members to assign to each committee.
Majlis Secretariat The secretariat of the Majlis was established in 1971. Since then it has been the responsibility of the Secretariat to oversee and facilitate the smooth running of the Majlis. Secretariat supports the Majlis with legislative works, manages the administrative affairs and provides technical support to the members of the Majlis. A secretary general is appointed to run the Majlis secretariat. The general supervises the Majlis secretariat.
Legislative functions Legislative proposals are introduced to the Majlis as bills. The government or the members present the bills to the Majlis floor. Once the bill is presented, the committee stage begins and the members debate on the provisions of the bill. Members may also propose amendments or propose to pass the bill during the debate. The members also have the right to send the bill to any of the related committee for further research and deliberation. If the bill is sent to the committees then there won't be any further debate or voting on the bill, until the committee presents its final findings about the bill.
Once the committee stage is over, members cast their votes to decide whether the bill will pass or not. If an amendment is proposed to the bill, the members votes for the amendment first. When the amendments are passed the members vote on to decide the fate of the bill. Once the bill is passed, it is sent to the president within seven days for presidential assent. The president should give his decree on the bill within thirty days or return it to the Majlis for further consideration or consideration of any amendments proposed by the president.
If the bill was not returned to the Majlis by the president or even if the president did not ratify the bill within the thirty-day period, the bill is deemed to become law. If the bill is sent back to the Majlis, the members can decide to pass the bill as it was before or they can consider the presidents observations.
See also List of legislatures by country Politics of the Maldives
References
External links
presidencymaldives.gov.mv state.gov directory.cpahq.org