Parliament seek public opinion on e-Petition bill

Maldives Parliament is seeking public opinion to introduce electronic petition (e-petition) system; the new initiative by the parliament in association with United Nations Development Program (UNDP).

The parliament secretariat announced the policy paper on Monday, stating the window for members of the public to submit their opinion was open effectively until 12:00hrs on April 29th, 2024.

Public members can submit their comments via email or in writing as well.

According to the parliament, the introduction of the e-petition system is aimed at enhancing public involvement in the legislative matters and improve democratic governance. The system also aims to improve the existing petition system and increase public accessibility to provide their feedback on legislative matters of public interest.

Parliament's secretariat also announced an information session to disseminate details of the policy paper has been scheduled, on;

• At 10:00hrs on April 24th, 2024 - for relevant government bodies, political parties, universities and civil associations
• At 16:00hrs on April 25th, 2024 - for general public

The e-petition enhances public inclusivity by allowing access for all members of the public to submit their input towards important policies and legislation during their drafting stages.