President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has ratified the first amendment bill to the Utility Regulatory Authority Act. The Parliament passed the amendment bill with 57 votes in favour.
The amendment addends a new section under section 34 of the act, mandating the Utility Regulatory Authority (URA) to formulate guidelines that govern billing for general utility services upon consultation with utility providers. URA shall specify the procedures for calculating late fines, circumstances for service discontinuation, and procedures to be followed in such cases in the guidelines, according to the bill. The amendment makes it easier for customers to pay their bills. As such, the amendment bill states that utility meters can be registered to the customer who is using the service even if the meter is placed in a household that is registered under another person's name. The amendment will allow citizens, especially residents of Male’ City, to easily pay their utility bills and receive subsidies.
The bill was published in the Government Gazette upon ratification.