President Ratifies Amendment to Attorney General’s Act, Shifts Some AGO Powers to Presidency

President Dr Mohamed Muizzu ratified the First Amendment to the Attorney General’s Act yesterday, transferring some responsibilities of the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) to the President.

The parliament passed the Amendment during its 24th sitting of the second session of 2025, held on Tuesday, 12 August. Out of 72 MPs eligible to vote, 65 supported the amendment, four opposed, and three did not vote.

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The changes aim to review the duties of the AGO, clarify the legal framework for its legal counsel, and revise provisions on staff pay and benefits. 

The Act, originally due to come into force on 27 August—90 days after publication—was amended before that date. The First Amendment, submitted on 22 June, has been published in the Government Gazette and has now come into immediate effect.

Among the changes, the Attorney General no longer holds sole authority to determine the office’s structure. Instead, the AGO must now submit its structure to the President’s Office for approval.

President Muizzu first ratified the Attorney General’s Act on 29 May this year. The Act established the AGO as an independent entity with a staffing framework that includes a Deputy Attorney General, Secretary General, and both legal and administrative staff. Salaries are set by the Ministry of Finance under National Pay Commission policies, with additional provisions for health insurance and retirement benefits.