The People’s Majlis has launched a new Electronic Petition System, allowing members of the public to submit petitions digitally as part of efforts to modernise parliamentary procedures and expand citizen participation in legislative processes.

Under the newly introduced e-Petition Portal, residents can submit petitions online and follow their progress through Parliament. The system verifies signatures using the national digital identity platform, enabling secure authentication of petition supporters. Officials said the platform is intended to make the petition process more accessible, particularly for individuals living in the atolls, by removing the need to submit petitions through Members of Parliament.

The Majlis said the digital platform introduces clear procedural thresholds for petitions, including defined signature requirements that determine how petitions are processed within parliamentary mechanisms. The system also introduces structured timelines for responses and allows petitions that meet the required criteria to be tabled for parliamentary consideration.

Unlike the previous manual petition process, the electronic system allows petitioners and signatories to view updates on their submissions throughout the process. Users can sign and monitor petitions using mobile phones and other smart devices, providing greater transparency on how petitions are handled once submitted.

Parliament said the initiative forms part of its digital transformation agenda and efforts to strengthen democratic engagement through modern governance tools. With the introduction of the system, the Maldives joins a small number of countries in the region that have implemented electronic petition mechanisms within their legislatures.

The e-Petition Portal was developed through cooperation between the People’s Majlis and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), with technical and financial support from international partners. Parliamentary officials said the platform was informed by consultations held with community groups, youth representatives and civil society organisations.