Parliament Proposes Amendment to Allow Public to Submit E-Petitions
Abdul Raheem Abdulla, Speaker of the Parliamnet. | Photo: People’s majlis
An amendment has been introduced in Parliament that would, for the first time, allow members of the public to submit petitions electronically.
The proposal seeks to amend parliamentary procedure to create two formal channels for public petitions — traditional paper submissions and electronic, or e-petitions. Under the draft amendment, petitions would require the support of at least 500 individuals before being submitted for consideration.
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The regulation also outlines restrictions on petition content, prohibiting matters outside Parliament’s jurisdiction, material containing offensive language, or submissions that breach existing laws.
Speaking during Tuesday’s sitting, Speaker Abdul Raheem Abdulla said Parliament, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), is developing an online portal for e-petitions, which is expected to be inaugurated this month. He stressed the importance of passing the amendment before the end of the current parliamentary term.
On Monday, MPs voted to extend the second session of the year by one week. According to parliamentary rules, the session is scheduled to conclude on 15 August; however, the resolution passed by the House extends it until 21 August.
The amendment has been referred to the General Committee for review before being put to a vote. The Speaker urged the committee to expedite its work and return the bill to the floor for passage.
