President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has ratified the Maldives Media and Broadcasting Regulation Bill (Act No. 16/2025), officially bringing the legislation into force.

The bill was passed by the People’s Majlis on 16 September 2025 during its Sixth Special Session, convened outside the parliament’s ordinary sitting. Lawmakers approved the bill with several amendments proposed by the government, despite criticism from journalists and media associations.

According to the President’s Office, the Act aims to foster a free and independent media environment while safeguarding press freedom. It also seeks to curb the spread of false information, strengthen constitutional guarantees through fair and transparent mechanisms, and create a framework that balances the rights and responsibilities of journalists and media professionals.

The legislation introduces streamlined procedures for media registration and establishes the Maldives Media and Broadcasting Commission as the new regulatory body overseeing both print and broadcast media. With its enactment, the Maldives Media Council and the Maldives Broadcasting Commission will be dissolved and reconstituted under the new framework.

However, the law has drawn criticism from journalists who argue it dismantles the self-regulatory system that has been a defining feature of Maldivian media for decades. Critics say the Maldives Media and Broadcasting Commission risks becoming a government-controlled body, noting that three of its seven members will be appointed by the parliament.

During the parliamentary debate, opposition MPs raised concerns that the bill could weaken editorial independence and open the door to political influence over the press. Despite these objections, the government defended the bill as necessary to modernise media regulation and bring it in line with global standards.

The passage of the Act marks one of the most significant overhauls of media legislation in the Maldives since the introduction of the Broadcasting Act in 2010.