President Ratifies Amendments to the Decentralisation Act – Here Is What It Entails

President Dr Mohamed Muizzu ratified the Fifteenth Amendment to the Decentralisation Act yesterday. 

This Amendment responds to the rising number of mid-term vacancies in local councils, which have triggered frequent by-elections. It seeks to reduce the growing financial burden of conducting these elections.

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Parliament passed the bill during the 32nd sitting of the first session of the 2025 parliamentary term on Thursday, 15 May 2025.

The newly ratified amendments introduce several key reforms:

• If the position of council chairperson becomes vacant with 548 days (18 months) or fewer remaining in the council’s term. In that case, no by-election will be held unless the remaining members are too few to meet the quorum required to convene a council meeting.
  
• Similarly, if a position on the Women’s Development Committee (WDC) becomes vacant with 548 days or fewer left in the committee’s term. In that case, no by-election will be held unless the remaining members cannot meet the quorum required to hold a committee meeting. 

Following ratification, the Amendment appeared in the Government Gazette and has now come into legal effect.