Horafushi constituency MP Mohamed Ismail has said submitted an amendment to the constitution to disallow anyone above 65 years of age from running for Presidency.
The bill was put on the agenda of the last sitting of the Peoples’ Majlis held this year. According to the article 109 of the constitution: a person elected as President shall have the following qualifications: (a) be a Maldivian citizen born to parents who are
Maldivian citizens, and who is not also a citizen of a foreign country; (b) be a Muslim and a follower of a Sunni school of Islam; (c) be at least thirty-five years of age; (d) be of sound mind; (e) not have an undischarged decreed debt;
(f) not have been convicted of a criminal offence and sentenced to a term of more than twelve months, unless a period of three years has elapsed since his release, or pardon for the offence for which he was sentenced; and (g) despite the provisions of article (f), not have been convicted of an offence for which a hadd is prescribed in Islam or of fraud, deception or criminal breach of trust.
Mohamed Ismail told Vnews that the amendment was submitted because the constitution is very clear on the issue. He said that the article 109 (C) states that the candidate should be at least thirty-five years of age.
Age range in the amendment is between 35 years to 65 years. MP Mohamed Ismail said that a large majority of the population comprises of the youth and the youth want a president from among themselves.
Amendment to constitution submitted to disallow those above 65 to run for Presidency
