President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has ratified the Bill for the Third Amendment to the Former Presidents’ Protection and Benefit Act (Act No. 9/2019). The Bill was passed by the 20th People’s Majlis during the 27th sitting of its third session of 2025, held on Sunday, 1 December 2025.
The Amendment strengthens the legal framework governing the protection and benefits accorded to former Presidents and Vice-Presidents, and clarifies the conditions under which such protections and benefits are granted, suspended, or withdrawn.
A key reform introduced by the Amendment is the removal of the office allowance previously provided to former Presidents, a measure proposed by the Government as part of broader cost-cutting efforts to ensure more efficient use of State resources.
The Amendment further stipulates that the financial benefits granted to a former President who has served a full presidential term will be suspended during any period in which the individual is elected for a second presidential term or assumes another State office. In addition, a former President residing abroad will not be entitled to State-provided protection or security during the period of residence outside the country.
The Amendment also extends protections and benefits to former Vice-Presidents who have completed a full five-year presidential term, as provided for in the Constitution. These benefits include a monthly allowance of MVR 30,000 (thirty thousand Rufiyaa) and State-funded healthcare services, both within the Maldives and overseas.
Furthermore, the Amendment establishes that where a former President or Vice-President is convicted by a court of a criminal offence committed while in office, all protections and benefits granted under the Act shall be suspended for the individual and their spouse from the date of conviction.
Following ratification, the Amendment has been published in the Government Gazette and has now come into effect.