It has been revealed that the President's Office exceeded its 2024 budget, approved by the People's Majlis, by MVR 36 million.
According to the audit report released by the Auditor General's Office, the Parliament had initially approved a total budget of MVR 204 million for the President's Office. However, by the end of the financial year, total expenditures had risen to MVR 240 million. This represents an approximate 17 percent increase over the approved budget.
The audit report detailed the primary reasons for the budget overrun. The most significant expenses were attributed to employee wages and benefits. Additionally, travel expenses for the President and senior office officials, both domestically and internationally, significantly exceeded the allocated budget.
Expenditures for office supplies, as well as the maintenance of buildings and facilities, also surpassed approved limits. Furthermore, there were increases in government aid provided to various parties, membership fees for international organizations, and subsidies across different sectors.
| Details | Approved budget (in millions) | Used budget (in millions) |
| Staff | 131.8 | 133.8 |
| Travel | 14.9 | 33.8 |
| Office | 6.4 | 10.7 |
| Repair | 5.2 | 12.5 |
| Subscription and subsidy | 4.3 | 6.0 |
The surge in personnel and travel costs comes during a year that saw the 2024 Parliamentary Elections. Additionally, the current administration has appointed a substantial number of political staff to the President's Office.
