Member of Parliament for the Inguraidhoo constituency, Ibrahim Falah, has stated that the proposed constitutional amendment to hold presidential and parliamentary elections together is not a political move, but a reform that should be implemented immediately in the interest of the people, even if it requires Members of Parliament to forgo part of their salaries.

Speaking while presenting the amendment on the floor of Parliament, Falah said the bill, proposed by the Government, represents an important constitutional reform aimed at reducing costs and improving electoral efficiency.

He noted that under the current Constitution, the five-year term of the 20th Parliament expires on 28 May 2029. However, with the proposed amendment, the term would instead end in December 2028. This, he said, would result in each MP serving six months less than their full term.

“Each member is losing six months of membership. In terms of salary, that amounts to MVR 450,000 per member. From a national perspective, the State budget will save MVR 80 million,” he said.

Falah reiterated that the amendment is not politically motivated and argued that such a change should have been brought long ago in the interest of the public, even at the expense of MPs’ personal financial benefits. He also criticised opposition members opposing the reform, saying they were failing to uphold their oath to serve the people.

He further said that even if the amendment is passed by Parliament and ratified by the President, it should still be put to a public referendum. Submitting the bill during an extraordinary sitting is intended to allow the referendum to be held alongside the upcoming Local Council Elections.

The amendment seeks to stipulate that elections for Members of Parliament and the President be held simultaneously, while also revising how the parliamentary term is calculated. Under the proposed changes, the term of Parliament would be five years beginning on 1 December, with Parliament dissolving at the end of that period. The first sitting of a newly elected Parliament would also be held on 1 December.

President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has previously highlighted the high cost of conducting elections separately, noting that more than MVR 120 million was spent on the last parliamentary elections and over MVR 180 million on two rounds of the previous presidential elections. Citing the six-month gap between the two polls, the President said holding both elections simultaneously would be most beneficial for the public, saving at least MVR 120 million that could instead be directed towards supporting low-income families.