President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has announced that a special bill to recover state assets will be introduced in Parliament this year.

Delivering his presidential address, he highlighted that 35 bills were submitted by the government in the past year, with 30 of them passed by Parliament. The government will continue to propose important legal reforms this year, he added.

One key initiative is a bill on asset recovery, aimed at reclaiming state assets that were acquired illegally or at undervalued prices. Additionally, amendments will be proposed to the Anti-Corruption Act, Code of Criminal Procedure, and Criminal Procedure Act to strengthen anti-corruption measures.

The government also plans to introduce constitutional amendments to hold parliamentary and presidential elections together and to revise the number of Parliament members. Other proposed changes include reforming the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) and amending the presidential term start date to November 11.

Further legal reforms will focus on enhancing the criminal justice system, introducing a full-fledged bail system, and tackling online fraud and cybercrime.

To address the housing crisis, the government will present a new Land Bill, Real Estate Business Bill, and Housing Bill. Additionally, the Maldives International Financial Services Authority Bill will be introduced to establish a legal framework for international financial services.

These legal changes aim to strengthen governance, improve financial regulation, and address key national issues.