Muizzu Ratifies Anti-Defaction Bill: What This Means

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu ratified Act No: 3/2024, commonly known as the Anti-Defection Bill, today, marking a significant development in Maldives’ legislative landscape.

The bill, proposed by Baarah constituency MP Ahmed Abdulla of the majority party MDP, gained parliamentary approval on April 1st, 2024. The enactment of this law empowers legal mechanisms to enforce the forfeiture of parliamentary seats in cases of floor crossing by lawmakers.

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Confirming the official ratification, the President’s Office stated that the Act is now in effect, affecting not only parliament MPs but also atoll and island councilors, as well as members of Women’s Development Committees. These political representatives would be mandated to resign from their positions upon switching political allegiances.

MDP advocates argue that the bill aims to uphold the integrity of elected officials’ commitments to the political ideologies under which they were elected. The Act outlines specific scenarios triggering seat forfeiture, including voluntary resignation from the party through which the member was elected or registering with a different political party.

Conditions for Voluntary Resignation:

Political designates, including parliament MPs and councilors, must resign under two circumstances:

• Voluntary resignation from the political party through which the member was elected for the political designation.
• Registering with a different political party (switching parties).

Mandatory Recall Vote Situations:

The law specifies two situations where a recall vote is mandatory:

• Dismissal or removal from the party from which the member was elected for the designation.
• Independent members signing for political parties.

Anti-Defection Bill for Councilors and WDC Members:

Councilors and members of WDCs would lose their seats if they:

• Resign from the parties through which they were elected.
• Switch political parties.
• Independent members sign for political parties.

Outcome of Recall Vote:

• According to the law, if a member wins the recall vote, they can switch their parties.
• They would lose their position if they do not receive adequate recall votes.

This marks a significant legislative move reminiscent of the 18th parliamentary assembly’s earlier passage of an Anti-Defection Act. However, political upheavals in 2018 led to the annulment of that law.