President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has ratified the Anti-Defection Act (Act No. 3/2024). The bill, which was passed by the Parliament during its First Session of the year on April 1, 2024, addresses the issue of elected members of Parliament, City/Atoll/Island Councils, and Women’s Development Committees (WDCs) under the Decentralisation Act, changing their political ideology during their tenure.
The Act outlines specific circumstances constituting defection, including administrative removal from a political party, voluntary departure to join another political party, or renouncing independence to join a political party. In any of these scenarios, elected members are required to submit their resignation as per the Act.
The primary objective of the Anti-Defection Act is to hold elected officials accountable to their constituents by ensuring their dedication to the political ideology upon which they were elected. Additionally, the Act mandates the Elections Commission to conduct by-elections for vacancies resulting from defections. Members who lose their seats due to defection are permitted to contest again in by-elections.
Following its ratification, the Act has been published in the Government Gazette and has come into immediate effect.