The government has submitted legislation to Parliament that would amend the Former Presidents Protection and Benefit Act, reshaping the allowances granted to former heads of state while, for the first time, introducing benefits for former Vice Presidents.
The proposal, tabled by Mohamed Shahid, Member of Parliament for Hulhudhoo, is designed both to reduce expenditure on former presidents and to broaden statutory entitlements to include vice presidents. At its core is the removal of the monthly allocation of USD 11,351.49 provided to former presidents for office operations. Government projections suggest this measure would save USD 681,198.91 in the coming year, lowering the overall budget for former presidential allowances from USD 1.28 million to USD 662,506.49.
The bill also expands the conditions under which benefits are suspended. If a former president is elected to a second term or appointed to another state position, allowances would be withheld for the duration of that tenure, reinforcing the principle that benefits should not overlap with active service.
In addition to these reductions, the legislation introduces allowances for former vice presidents, with annual expenditure projected at USD 19,459.46 for general allowances and USD 45,418.16 for medical expenses beginning next year.