President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has ratified the 18th Amendment to the Decentralisation Act (Act No. 7/2010) today.
The Bill was passed by the 20th People’s Majlis at the 19th sitting of its first session of 2026, held on Thursday, 14 May 2026.
The amendment introduces changes aimed at strengthening the administrative framework of the Local Government Authority (LGA).
Under the amendment, employees of the LGA are classified as civil service staff and shall be governed under the Civil Service Act. The amendment further provides that the Chief Executive Officer of the Authority shall serve as the responsible head in matters relating to the administration of employees.
In addition, the amendment requires the formulation of a staff structural framework for the Authority, upon the advice of the Authority’s Board, to be submitted to the Civil Service Commission (CSC) for approval.
Under the amendment, the proposed framework must be submitted to the CSC within 30 days of the Act coming into force. The CSC is required to approve the framework within 15 days of submission, following which the National Pay Commission must determine and finalise the salary structure for the Authority’s employees within 30 days.
The amendment also formally includes waste management among the municipal services that local councils are mandated to provide in islands and cities.
The Amendment has come into force following its ratification and publication in the Government Gazette.