Committee to discourage amendments to Penal Code Bill

Chair of the Penal Code Bill review committee MP Ahmed Hamza has said he will urge parliamentary group leaders to refrain from proposing large amendments to the 1204-article penal code bill, in a bid to reduce contradictions within the bill that may follow large changes.

MP Hamza agreed that it is a “fundamental right” of every member of parliament to propose amendments to a bill, but said a minor amendment may cause a domino effect that could force amending to many other articles, in addition to causing contradictions to international treaties and conventions to which Maldives is party.

“For example, the way the age [of suffrage] is defined. There are two ages define in the bill. Change this article, it is linked, and other articles will need to be changed. Changing the age of suffrage may also cause it to contradict international treaties that Maldives has signed,” MP Ahmed Hamza said.

He noted that Adhaalath Party and Dhivehi Qaumee Party are both part of the ruling coalition and that he hopes they will discuss their concerns with the minority leader to come to a consensus on voting for bill.

The penal code bill was first proposed to parliament in 2006 and was recalled and presented again in 2009. The current penal code was ratified in 1961 during president Ibrahim Nasir’s administration.