Majlis Committee Approves One-Hour Debate on Law Students' Petition

Malé, Maldives — The People's Majlis General Committee has decided to hold a one-hour debate in Parliament on an e-petition submitted by law students, after an amendment was brought to the Bar Council of the Maldives' regulation setting minimum standards for qualifying law degree programmes. The amendment requires all examinations in law degree programmes to be taken in person at a centre, starting from the first of January. At the committee meeting held to set the debate time, Holhudhoo constituency member Abdussattar Mohamed proposed that the petition be debated for one hour. Thimarafushi constituency member Ahmed Riaz seconded the proposal. It was passed with the agreement of the members present at the committee meeting. The petition was opened for signing by students pursuing law degrees online and all parties directly and indirectly affected by the amendment, to bring the matter to the attention of the People's Majlis. The petition received signatures equal to twice the threshold stated in the Majlis rules. In total, 2,129 people signed the petition. The petition states that the decision to apply the change to students currently studying is a decision that will harm the interests and rights of many students who are pursuing education based on the principles that existed when they started the course. It also says that, considering the principles of administrative justice and legal certainty, the students joined the course through a system that had genuine permission for exams to be taken online. Therefore, the petition also says that many students believe that changing such a fundamental requirement midway through the course removes the right to legitimate expectation provided to students by administrative law and erodes the trust and confidence that administrative decisions should have. According to the petition, the general legal principle is that new regulations apply prospectively. However, implementing this principle in a way that affects the past for students currently studying, without an adequate and complete transitional phase, is also described as a matter that conflicts with the Bar Council's previous policies and the foundations of the rule of law. The petition adds that, because of this amendment, students living in the atolls, and students who are working and carrying family responsibilities, will face a major financial and psychological burden due to travel and staying in Malé. As a result, it says the right to education guaranteed by Article 36 of the Constitution is being narrowed and the fear that many students' studies will be interrupted is extremely high. As a solution, the students ask that, before the newly introduced rule is implemented, all students who have registered and started studying in law degree programmes be exempted from the amendment. They also ask the People's Majlis to arrange, in consultation with relevant institutions, a transitional mechanism to maintain the rules that were in effect when those students started studying until they complete the programme.