Holhudhoo MP Abdulsattar Mohamed from the ruling People’s National Congress (PNC) has claimed that the people's power enshrined in the Constitution begins with the administration and the leader.
Speaking during a parliamentary debate on a public petition opposing the government’s seizure of island lands, Abdulsattar asserted that the powers of both the people and the Parliament begin with the administration and the head of state.
"We must accept that whether we speak of councils, the Parliament, the people, or the administration, this is ultimately the power of the people. However, this authority actually begins with the leader and the administration," Abdulsattar said.
Despite Abdulsattar’s remarks, Article 4 of the Constitution explicitly states that "all the powers of the Maldivian State start with the people" and that "these powers shall remain with the people."
Following the declaration of people's power in Article 4, Articles 5, 6, and 7 of the Constitution outline the respective powers of the Parliament, the President, and the Judiciary.
The President, or the Executive branch, is vested only with the power of "executive authority as provided for in the Constitution." Neither a President nor an administration holds any authority beyond the framework of the Constitution.
