Maldivian Parliament Amends Standing Order to Allow Multiple Petitions on Single Issues

The People's Majlis has voted to amend its Standing Order, removing a long-standing restriction that prevented more than one petition from being submitted on a single matter. The decision opens the door for diverse perspectives to be formally presented on the same legislative or public issue. The amendment was proposed by Funadhoo MP Mohamed Mamdhooh and received overwhelming support, passing with 56 votes in favor and 10 against. The move follows a formal endorsement by the General Purposes Committee, signaling a shift toward more inclusive legislative processes. Under the previous regulations, the Parliament could not entertain a petition that requested an action already sought in an earlier submission. This rule effectively blocked parallel advocacy, meaning once a petition was filed on a specific topic, subsequent petitions on that same subject were dismissed regardless of whether they supported or opposed the original request. The necessity for this change became evident during recent debates over the Decentralization Act. At the time, the Majlis faced a deadlock when two competing petitions emerged: one seeking to withdraw an amendment proposed by Thulhaadhoo MP Abdul Hannan Aboobakuru, and another urging for its accelerated adoption. Under the old rules, both requests could not be processed simultaneously. Following the vote, the Speaker of the Parliament announced that the new rules take effect immediately. Legislators and citizens can now submit multiple petitions on any single issue, a move expected to expand public participation and allow for more rigorous legislative scrutiny of contentious bills and policies.