On Wednesday, Parliament approved two government bills aimed at revising the schedule for by-elections for city, atoll, and island councils. The amendments will establish a framework for holding by-elections twice a year, rather than in close succession as currently mandated.

Under existing legislation, by-elections must occur within two months of a vacancy, often leading to multiple elections clustered together. The bills propose changes to both the Decentralization Act and the Council Election Act, which were first introduced for discussion in Parliament late last month.

The bills were passed with the support of 67 MPs, while eight members of the opposition MDP voted against them.

The amendment to the Decentralization Act, introduced by PNC MP Ismail Shafeeu, addresses the issue of frequent by-elections resulting from an increase in vacancies, which raises administrative costs. It stipulates that elections must be held within 183 days (six months) of a vacancy, with exceptions allowing for elections within two months if a council lacks the required number of members.

The second bill, also backed by the government and introduced by PNC MP Munthazim Ibrahim, mandates a minimum interval of 120 days (four months) between two by-elections, ensuring a more structured election schedule.

These amendments will take effect immediately upon passage and publication in the government gazette. Previously, a similar amendment in the 19th Parliament established annual by-elections for women’s committees in response to the increasing frequency of such elections.