The opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has boycotted the vote on a constitutional amendment aimed at synchronizing the Presidential and Parliamentary elections, which involves shortening the current parliamentary term.

The bill, proposed by the PNC Parliamentary Group Leader and Member for Inguraidhoo, Ibrahim Falah, was passed by the People's Majlis today.

None of the 12 members belonging to MDP participated in the vote. The vote was conducted after the session was briefly suspended following protests and disruptions from MDP members at the start of the final debate, which led to the Speaker naming six members and ordering their removal from the chamber.

During the suspension, MDP Parliamentary Group held a press conference outside the chamber. The party's interim chairperson and Member for Hanimaadhoo, Abdul Ghafoor Moosa (Gapo), stated that the amendment is fundamentally flawed. He argued that manipulating the Constitution to extend or shorten terms offers no benefit to the public.

"These individuals do not believe in going to the people. Listening to the voice of the citizens is not something they accept or even understand. That is what is happening today. We do not wish to participate in this vote, MDP will boycott it entirely," he said.

Ghafoor further alleged that following this amendment, the PNC might next propose postponing the Presidential Election to 2030 or 2028, which he termed unacceptable. He characterized these moves as part of a series of actions intended to dismantle the country's democratic environment and shift toward authoritarian rule.

The bill was passed with 72 votes in favor out of the 73 members who participated in the voting process. The Speaker of the Majlis, Abdul Raheem Abdulla, also voted in favor of the bill. The only member to vote against the legislation was Abdul Rahman, the independent member for the Addu Meedhoo constituency.