President Mohamed Nasheed has today ratified the Bill on Capital Islands of Administrative Divisions of the Maldives passed by the People’s Majlis on 6 April 2011.

Following the ratification, the Act on Capital Islands of Administrative Divisions of the Maldives has been published in the government Gazette today.

The Act stipulates how capital islands of administrative divisions listed in the Schedule 2 appended to the Constitution should be determined.

According to the Act, capital islands listed in the appendix of the Act shall retain their status unless decided otherwise by a two-thirds majority of an atoll council and approved through a public referendum.