The government has proposed, at the parliament, to repeal the law that bars individuals who have sought and lived in asylum of a foreign country or has been a citizen of a foreign country, from Maldivian Presidential Elections for ten years.

The President’s Office said that amendment to the Presidential Elections Act is being sent to the parliament today.

Under the proposed amendment the provision barring candidates from contesting should they have sought protection from a foreign government or attained foreign citizenship less than a period of ten years prior from giving up asylum or foreign citizenship, will be removed entirely.

Currently, candidates needs to meet with conditions set on Article 109-A that includes being a Maldivian National with a Maldivian parents, not be a citizen of a foreign country, and if they have ever been a foreign national, they have sought protection from a foreign government or attained foreign citizenship less than a period of ten years prior from giving up asylum or foreign citizenship.

This amendment was made on the seventh sitting of the second term of the 18th Parliament held on 4 July 2018.