The Maldives Parliament has passed an amendment allowing citizens to submit petitions online, marking a major move toward more accessible and digital parliamentary engagement. The amendment to Chapter 51 of the Parliament Regulations was approved with 57 votes in favour and 9 against during a sitting of the 20th People’s Majlis.
The updated rules introduce two petition formats: traditional paper petitions submitted through the Parliament Secretariat, and electronic petitions filed via a new online platform. The regulation outlines specific requirements for validity, including that petitions must be written in proper Dhivehi and, if longer than one page, must have signatures on each page. All petitions—both paper and electronic—must gather at least 500 signatures. Petitions that fail to meet these standards will not be accepted.
Following the amendment’s passage, the Majlis confirmed that the electronic petition portal will officially launch on 8 February 2026, the same day the regulations come into effect. The digital shift is expected to expand opportunities for public participation and make the process of submitting concerns to the legislature more efficient.