Deputy Speaker of Parliament and Dhiggaru MP Ahmed Nazim has called for updates to the Evidence Act to address modern challenges, emphasising the need to strengthen the law to ensure accountability and keep pace with technological advancements.

Speaking during the parliamentary debate on the Government’s proposed amendments to the Evidence Act, MP Nazim said that recent court rulings have shown how criminals are being acquitted due to problems in the admission and evaluation of evidence. He noted that since the current Evidence Act came into force in 2022, several such cases have emerged.

MP Nazim emphasised that the law must evolve alongside technological advancements, particularly in how electronic evidence is accepted, handled, and verified. He cited a case in which a bank denied the authenticity of its own stamp on a document, yet the court accepted it as genuine based on forensic analysis.

He also warned that methods of document forgery have become increasingly sophisticated, stressing that the Evidence Act must be enforced and updated to reflect these realities. He said the gaps that criminals exploit can be closed by making the necessary changes to the law.

MP Nazim further commented on a clause in the proposed amendment that requires journalists to disclose their sources, stating that while rules should be clearly defined, the protection of sources must remain a priority.