State in Maldives

The Constitution is the supreme law. It establishes citizen sovereignty, Islam as the state religion, Dhivehi as the national language and Malé as the capital. It protects equality, life, expression, media, assembly, association, movement, fair administrative action and access to a court remedy. Constitutional duties include respecting the Constitution, the rule of law, other people's rights, Islam, the Dhivehi language, national heritage and the environment. Questions about non-Muslim access to particular rights or public offices can depend on the Constitution and specific legislation. The Maldives has national, judicial and local institutions. The President is head of the executive and commander-in-chief and appoints the Cabinet and ministries under the Constitution. As of 2026, President Dr Mohamed Muizzu is assisted by Vice President Uz Hussain Mohamed Latheef. Cabinet responsibilities include defence and national service; foreign affairs; homeland security, labour and technology; finance and public enterprises; education, higher education and skills development; health, family and welfare; economic development, transport and trade; fisheries, agriculture and ocean resources; Islamic affairs and endowments; tourism and civil aviation; youth empowerment, sports and fitness; arts, culture and heritage; infrastructure, housing and urban development; climate change, environment and energy; and the Attorney General. The People's Majlis is the country's unicameral legislature. It makes laws, approves constitutional amendments, taxation and public expenditure, adopts the annual budget, questions ministers, summons officials and oversees treaties and security matters. It also has no-confidence mechanisms. Public sittings and proceedings are published, and laws are published in the Government Gazette. The 20th Parliament is active in 2026. Courts are constitutionally independent. The Supreme Court is the highest court, followed by the High Court and lower and specialised courts. The Judicial Service Commission appoints and disciplines judges and carries out judicial administrative oversight under the law. A person normally starts a legal matter in the relevant court; appeals, constitutional questions, representation and filing fees depend on the case and court. Local government reflects the country's dispersed islands. City councils and island councils provide local services, infrastructure, local regulation and local budgets. The Local Government Authority, or LGA, regulates and supports local government. Residents normally access council services through the relevant council secretariat. Boundaries are set through presidential decrees and the Government Gazette. An island with fewer than 2,000 residents has three councillors, including one woman; an island with at least 2,000 residents has five councillors, including two women. Malé City Council has a mayor and representatives corresponding to People's Majlis representation. Fuvahmulah City Council has a mayor and eight ward representatives. Women's Development Committees include an elected full-time chair. The 17th amendment to the Decentralisation Act provides for the abolition of Atoll Councils at the next Local Council elections, with the operational transition set for 17 May 2026. Addu Hulhudhoo and Addu Meedhoo have separate councils in 2026. The Civil Service Commission, or CSC, is an independent and impartial body responsible for recruiting, appointing, promoting, transferring and dismissing civil servants and maintaining uniform personnel standards. There were 31,878 civil-service employees on 30 June 2026: 10,157 men and 21,721 women. The Maldives Digital Service, or MDS, was established on 15 January 2026 after the abolition of NCIT. It leads digital policy and standards and develops eFaas, data exchange, sovereign-cloud and digital-identity foundations. oneGov is the central public-service portal, while the Maldives 2.0 Roadmap 2025–2028 sets a digital-first reform direction. Access remains service-specific, with online and physical channels. The Ministry of Finance and Public Enterprises manages fiscal and debt policy, the annual budget, the treasury, public accounts and oversight of state-owned enterprises. The Public Finance Act 3/2006 and Fiscal Responsibility Act 30/2024 provide the main public-finance framework. The People's Majlis approved the 2026 Budget. The Maldives Inland Revenue Authority, or MIRA, administers taxation, and government financial statements use IPSAS Cash Basis accounting. Fees, eligibility, documents and processing times vary by service, tax, permit, court filing or council rule; there is no single nationwide fee or timing rule for all public services. Several bodies oversee public authority. The Auditor General's Office audits government institutions, public accounts, state trading bodies, state-owned enterprises and joint ventures and reports to the President, the People's Majlis and the public. The Anti-Corruption Commission receives corruption complaints, investigates them, conducts prevention work and can recommend prosecution. The Human Rights Commission of the Maldives, or HRCM, handles human-rights complaints, monitors detention and serves as the national preventive mechanism under the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture. The Information Commissioner's Office, or ICOM, supervises right-to-information access and appeals. A person can seek public information from the relevant institution or through the ICOM procedure, subject to statutory exceptions. Public information is available through the Government Gazette, People's Majlis, ministry portals, oneGov and right-to-information procedures. Public Service Media, or PSM, provides state public media. The Maldives Media and Broadcasting Commission, or MMBC, was established under Act 16/2025 and replaced the prior media and broadcasting framework. Expression, media and assembly rights operate within constitutional limits and statutory restrictions, including limits connected with Islam. Security functions are divided between civilian and military institutions. The Ministry of Defence and National Service oversees the Maldives National Defence Force, the National Counter Terrorism Center, the Aviation Security Command and the Maldives Hydrographic Service. The Maldives Police Service provides civilian law enforcement and community safety and is separate from the military. The National Disaster Management Authority handles disaster preparedness, mitigation, early warning, relief, response and a public disaster database. In an emergency, the President may make an initial declaration for up to 30 days, must publish it in the Government Gazette within three days and submit it to the People's Majlis within 48 hours. Each extension may last up to 30 days. Security services are overseen by the People's Majlis and the responsible minister. The country's island geography, concentration of services in Malé, decentralisation transition, fiscal pressure, digital-government rollout and exposure to climate and maritime risks affect how public authority works in practice.