Sultan Mohamed Shamsuddheen III appointed a 12-member committee with the mandate to draft the first Constitution of the Maldives.

Sultan Mohamed Shamsuddheen III ratified the first Constitution of the Maldives establishing a Constitutional Monarchy. This Constitution was an important step towards protection and promotion of citizen’s rights, equality and justice. Along with this, the first Parliament of Maldives was formed. This Constitution created three organs to oversee the affairs of the State. That is: a Legislative Assembly (Qaanoonu Hadhaa Majlis), a People’s Majlis (Rayyithunge Majlis) and a cabinet (Vazeerunge Majlis). The Legislative Assembly was composed of 28 Members (MPs) and People’s Majlis consisted of 42 MPs.

Sultan Mohamed Shamsuddheen III ratified the first amendment to the first Constitution. The number of MPs was reduced from 42 to 33 after a constitutional amendment. 6 MPs were appointed by the Sultan, 8 MPs elected by 4 wards of Male, 2 MPs elected by Thiladhunmathi Atoll, 2 MPs elected by Huvadhu Atoll, 14 MPs elected by 14 Atolls and 1 MP for Fuvahmulah.

People’s Majlis voted to abolish the Constitution on the grounds that it was unsuitable to the circumstances that prevailed in Maldives at that time.

People’s Majlis voted to abolish the Constitution on the grounds that it was unsuitable to the circumstances that prevailed in Maldives at that time.

Sultan Hassan Nooraddheen II ratified a 17-article Constitution. This Constitution handed the powers of the State to the Monarch, the “Vazeerul Auzam”, “Vazeerul Dhaahiliya” and the People’s Majlis.

The King, Sultan Hassan Nooraddheen II and the Prime Minister, Al-Ameer Mohammed Fareed Didi, resigned. A " Crown Committee" was elected as provided in the Constitution until a suitable person took the position of Sultan.

Amendments were proposed for the Constitution and Chairman of the Crown Committee Mohamed Ameen Didi and member of Crown Committee Abdullah Fahmi Didi ratified these amendments.

A public referendum was held to determine public opinion on the matter of changing the government from Monarchy to a Republic. Public voted in favor of establishing a Republic.

President Mohamed Ameen Didi was sworn in as the first President of the first Republic of Maldives and he ratified the Constitution that reflected republic form of governance. The Parliament formed under this constitution was bicameral. That is, the Senate and People’s House (Rayyithunge Ge). The Senate was composed of 18 MPs with 9 MPs appointed by President and 9 MPs elected to the Senate by the People’s House. The People’s House was composed of 47 MPs. This consisted of 2 MPs each from 4 wards of Male, 4 MPs elected by Thiladhunmathi, 4 MPs elected by Huvadhu Atoll, 2 MPs each from 14 atolls of Maldives, 2 MPs from Fuvahmulah and 1 MP elected from businesses. For the first time in the history of the People’s Majlis, female MPs were appointed and elected. The Senate was composed of 4 female MPs and the People’s House was composed of 10 female MPs. The President of the Senate was Fathimath Ibrahim Didi. This Republic was overthrown less than a year into President Mohamed Ameen Didi’s presidency.

People’s Majlis abolished the Constitution, and a monarchy is restored after a public referendum.

People’s Majlis amended the Constitution. This Constitution declared the form of government in Maldives as an “elected Monarchy” with Sultan Mohamed Fareed Didi as the Monarch. Along with this, the bicameral legislature created under the 1 January 1953 Constitution reverted to an unicameral one. The Majlis consisted of 54 MPs. That is, 6 MPs appointed by the Sultan, 8 MPs for Male, 4 MPs for Thiladhunmathi, 4 MPs for Huvadhu Atoll, 2 MPs each for rest of the 14 atolls, 2 MPs for Fuvahmulah and 2 MPs elected to the Majlis from businesses.

The Constitution ratified on 7 March 1954 was amended on 4 June 1964. With this amendment, membership of the People’s Majlis was increased to 56. The number of MPs appointed to the Majlis by the Sultan was increased from 6 to 8. Along with these MPs, Majlis was composed of 2 MPs elected to represent businesses, 8 MPs were elected to represent Male' and 2 MPs each for 19 administrative divisions or atolls in Maldives.

A constitutional amendment granted voting rights to women over 21 years of age.

Maldives signed an agreement with British government, which guaranteed the Maldives as an independent State. This agreement was signed by the Prime Minister Ibrahim Nasir.

Maldives held a public referendum during Sultan Mohamed Fareed Didi’s reign, and the public voted in favor of a Republican form of government.

Maldives reverted to a Republican form of government with Ibrahim Nasir as the first President of the Second Republic. The constitutional amendment ratified this year reduced the parliament’s membership to 54.

Majlis amended the Constitution to reduce the number of MPs from 54 to 48. With this change, the number of MPs from Male’ was decreased from 8 to 2, just like other administrative divisions (atolls) of the country. The Majlis, from this point, on was composed of 8 MPs appointed by President, 2 MPs elected to represent Male, and 2 MPs elected each 19 atolls of Maldives.

People’s Majlis passed a bill to amend the Constitution. The process of amending the Constitution took 17 years as President Uz Maumoon Abdul Gayoom convened a Special Majlis to do this work in 1980. President Gayoom ratified the Constitution on 27 November 1997. Its implementation began on 1 January 1998. Under this Constitution, for the first time, the position of the Secretary General for the Secretariat of People’s Majlis was created. Uz Mohamed Nasheed was appointed as the first Secretary General of the Secretariat.

Membership of Majlis increased to 50 as a new administrative division was created by splitting Ari Atoll into two administrative atolls. The composition of the Majlis consisted of 8 MPs appointed by President, 2 MPs elected from Male’ and 2 MPs each elected from 20 administrative atolls of Maldives.

President Uz. Maumoon Abdul Gayoom announced a reform agenda to establish a modern democracy in Maldives which is in line with international best practices.

The People’s Special Majlis convened in its first Sitting to begin amending the constitution. The Constitution underwent profound amendments to reflect principles of good governance, democratic values and practices.

People’s Majlis voted unanimously in favor of legislation that allowed for the registration of political parties in Maldives, paving way for multi-party system.

A general secret ballot was held to determine whether the country should have a Presidential or Parliamentary system during the Constitution drafting process. The result of the vote determined that the country should have a Presidential system.

President Gayoom ratified the Constitution. This Constitution guarantees a whole new set of fundamental rights and freedoms to everyone. This includes civil, political, economic, and social rights. This Constitution is based on the principle of separation of powers, made provision for creation of an independent judiciary, introduced mechanisms for transparency and accountability and introduced multiparty system.

The People’s Majlis was formed in accordance with the Constitution ratified on 7 August 2008. A key change was made in determining the number of MPs that would be elected to the Majlis. According to the Constitution, two MPs will be elected for the first 5,000 residents in each administrative division and one additional member per 5,000 residents more than the first 5,000 registered to that administrative division. The Parliamentary Election Act, passed in February 2009, sets out the principles on the determination of membership of the Parliament, electoral constituencies from every administrative division, and the manner the boundaries of all the electoral constituencies are determined. With this change, the election for a new Majlis was held on 9 May 2009 and on 28th May 2009, a new Majlis was formed with 77 MPs.