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An e-petition has been launched on the official People's Majlis portal calling for the withdrawal of a proposed amendment to the Decentralisation Act that grants the Cabinet powers to reclaim council-controlled land for government projects. Submitted by civil society founder Midhuam Saud, the petition warns that the bill undermines local democracy by centralizing decision-making authority.
News Desk
Committee of the Whole House 2nd sitting of 2026
A public e-petition submitted to Parliament calls for the immediate withdrawal of proposed legislative amendments that allow the Cabinet to seize land under local council jurisdiction for central government projects.
An e-petition has been published on the official People’s Majlis E-Petition Portal urging lawmakers to reject a controversial bill amending the Decentralisation Act.
The petition was submitted by Midhuam Saud, founder of the civic organization Aamunge Jamiyya (Commoners’ NGO), following the introduction of legislation by Thulhaadhoo MP Abdul Hannan Aboobakuru. Although Hannan sits as an independent lawmaker, he has consistently introduced legislation aligned with the government administration.
Cabinet Land Acquisition Power: Inserting a provision following Section 56-2(l) enabling the Cabinet of Ministers to strip land or property from a council’s jurisdiction for government development projects, overriding existing statutory provisions.
Execution via LGA: Once the Cabinet decides to reclaim land, the Local Government Authority (LGA) will formally notify the council, immediately transferring full ownership and authority over the property to the central state.
Pre-Planning Transfer Mandatory: Requiring local councils to hand over requested land before an island or city physical development plan has been finalized or approved.
Mandatory Cooperation Clause: Adding a requirement to the councillor code of conduct obligating local officials to fully cooperate with government initiatives.
Prohibition on Project Obstruction: Explicitly barring councils from making decisions or taking actions that delay or obstruct planned government projects without reasonable justification.
Erosion of Local Power: The petition argues that transferring land management authority from elected local councils to the Cabinet strips elected officials of their constitutional mandate to represent community interests.
Punitive Actions Against Councillors: Concerns were raised that the mandatory cooperation clauses could be weaponized to discipline or penalize councillors who express opposition to central government decisions.
Violation of Decentralization Principles: The initiative asserts that the proposed amendments contradict the fundamental spirit of the Decentralisation Act by restricting public decision-making authority.
Under Section 56-1 of the existing Decentralisation Act, the President maintains the authority to determine administrative boundaries. While that power has previously been utilized to remove specific islands or lagoons, existing statutory frameworks require the state to provide fair financial compensation for prior investments made on affected properties.
The new bill extends central takeover powers beyond presidential decrees directly to the Cabinet. Observers note the legislative push follows local council elections where opposition candidates won majorities across primary urban centers and major population hubs. MP Hannan previously introduced the controversial Media Control Commission Bill, which was passed by the legislature and ratified into law by President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu.
