President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has ratified the sixth amendment to the Constitution of the Republic of Maldives today.

The reform Bill introduces five major changes to key constitutional provisions relating to parliamentary governance and territorial sovereignty.

Central to the reform is Article 73, which adds a subsection (e), enforcing stricter parliamentary membership rules through three new disqualification conditions:

- Independent members joining political parties

- Party-backed members switching parties

- Party-backed members leaving or facing expulsion from their parties during their term

A significant change to Articles 3(a) and 3(b) reinforces territorial sovereignty, mandating a three-fourths parliamentary majority for any modifications to national territory, which encompasses archipelagic baselines, land, airspace, territorial waters and contiguous airspace.

Presidential powers see significant expansion through Article 115(e), granting the President explicit authority to:

- Shape state policies

- Provide directive leadership to Government institutions

- Orchestrate national development strategies

Additionally, the amendment introduces crucial safeguards through Article 251(c), requiring parliamentary oversight for foreign military presence on Maldivian soil, whilst maintaining flexibility for military training exercises under existing agreements.

Finally, Article 262(b) now requires mandatory public referendums for constitutional amendments and territorial changes.

The Bill was passed during the 52nd session of the 20th People's Majlis on 20 November 2024.