The guidelines for submitting legal documents for publication in the Government Gazette have been updated, as announced in a directive issued by the President’s Office on Sunday.
Effective from Sunday, 24 November 2024, all Government Ministries and Institutions must revise their procedures for submitting legal documents to the President’s Office for publication in the Government of Maldives Gazette. President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has specified that these documents should now be sent to [email protected].
If amendments are required to documents already submitted, the revised versions must be addressed to the President’s Office under Directive No. 4/2015. This applies to official documents and letters requiring the President’s signature. Revised documents must include a covering letter signed by the Minister or the official in charge at the time. For state agencies and institutions not under ministry jurisdiction, revised documents should also be sent to the specified email address, accompanied by the signature of the responsible official.
Ministries and their related institutions are further instructed to consult the Attorney General’s Office for legal advice before preparing documents for publication. A record of this consultation and the Attorney General's advice must be included. Each institution must designate a focal point responsible for this process, providing their name, title, and contact information.
The directive also emphasises the need to review documents for compliance with legal and linguistic standards before submission. Any necessary corrections must be made prior to publication.
Although the procedures for sending documents to the President’s Office have been updated, the existing guidelines under President’s Office Directive No. 11/2010 (governing the actions of Government offices and agencies) and Directive No. 25/2010 (concerning Government offices) remain unchanged. These directives continue to require that all legal documents be submitted with the advice of the Attorney General’s Office.