President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has ratified the Seventh Amendment to the Constitution of the Maldives, formally bringing significant changes to the country’s decentralised governance structure.

The amendment was passed by the 20th People’s Majlis during its 24th sitting of the third session of 2025, held on Tuesday, 25 November 2025.

Under the constitutional revision, the Maldives will dissolve atoll councils, removing them as a tier of local administration. The dissolution will take effect at the next local council elections, after which atoll councils will cease to exist. Current atoll councils will remain in office until the mandates of newly elected island and city councils are established.

The amendment was published in the Government Gazette, and has now come into force.