The Parliament on Tuesday approved the amendment proposed to the constitution to increase the term of local councils to five years.
The bill on amendment to the constitution proposed by the government and sponsored by Hithadhoo Uthuru MP Mohamed Aslam was approved with the agreement of all 69 members who took part in the vote.
Parliament's Committee of the Whole House reviewed the proposed amendments, and added two additional amendments.
Henveiru Central MP Ali Azim proposed to amend the bill to read that the bill will be effective upon ratification and published in the gazette.
The second amendment said members will be appointed to city councils, atoll councils and island councils in the first local council election held after the bill becomes effective.
Additionally, the Committee of the Whole House approved to increase the term of councils to five years.
While the parliament has approved to bring an amendment to the constitution, the government has submitted a bill at the parliament that empowers councils and proposes amendments to the Decentralization Act. The bill has been reviewed by the Committee on Decentralization and forwarded to the Parliament floor.
The constitution currently stipulates that the term of councils is three years. When the new amendment is ratified, the term of the members appointed to councils in the local council election slated for next April will be five years.
