President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has ratified the third amendment to the Presidential Elections Act.

Upon ratification, the act has been publicized in the government gazette.

The amendment annuls Article 7(c) of the Presidential Elections Act and the amendment was passed during a sitting of the People’s Majlis on 16 October.

The amendment refers to Article 109 of the Maldives Constitution which states that “a person elected as President shall be a Maldivian citizen born to Maldivian parents and not a citizen of a foreign country”.

Under the amendment brought by the previous administration, any individual who held foreign nationality or political asylum can only run for presidency 10 years after surrendering their foreign citizenship or asylum.

With the change brought on Monday, this amendment in nullified.

During the sitting on 16 October, 63 lawmakers voted in favor of the amendment.

The amendment, brought in June 2018, was deemed to target certain political figures, barring them from running for presidency.