MP submits Bill to remove maximum age limit for presidential candidacy

Inguraidhoo MP Ibrahim Falah has submitted a Bill to the People’s Majlis to remove the maximum age limit of 65 years imposed on presidential candidacy.

Falah confirmed to ‘Sun’ he submitted the Bill this Monday.

The age limit of 35 – 65 years was imposed for presidential candidacy via an amendment to the Maldivian Constitution by the People’s Majlis in 2015.

In an earlier interview to ‘Sun’, Falah said he never supported constricting the age of presidential candidates to people below 65 years of age.

The new Maldivian Constitution originally did not have a maximum age limit for presidential candidacy. It only stipulated that a candidate for presidency and vice presidency must be above 35 years of age.

The first amendment to the age limit was made earlier in President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom’s administration. The age limit for presidency and vice presidency was lowered to 30-65 years, allowing Ahmed Adeeb Abdul Gafoor – who had been Minister of Tourism at the time – to be appointed Vice President.

A second amendment to the age limit came in 2015 when it was set to 35-65 years.

Falah said this Monday he also plans on submitting an amendment to the Pension Act next week to allow for easier access to the pension fund.