President Dr Mohamed Muizzu on Monday ratified the Fifteenth Amendment to the Decentralisation Act, introducing new measures aimed at reducing the frequency and cost of by-elections caused by mid-term vacancies in local councils and Women’s Development Committees (WDCs).

The amendment has now been published in the Government Gazette and is legally in effect.

The key change under the amendment is that if a council chairperson or WDC member’s position becomes vacant with 548 days or fewer remaining in their term, a by-election will not be held unless the number of remaining members is too low to meet the quorum needed to hold official meetings.

This legislative change is a response to the rising number of mid-term vacancies, which have led to repeated by-elections and increased financial strain on the state. By limiting unnecessary elections, the Government aims to improve efficiency in local governance and reduce public expenditure.

The bill was passed during the 32nd sitting of the first session of the 2025 parliamentary term on 15 May 2025, before being ratified by the President.