Bill to establish Attorney General's Office as a separate entity from civil service

A bill proposing to remove the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) from Civil Service and establish it as a separate government service provider was submitted in Parliament today.

The bill, submitted by People's National Congress (PNC) MP Abdulla Rifau (Bochey) on behalf of the government, seeks to address operational challenges faced by the AGO under the current civil service framework.

Although the Maldivian Constitution recognizes the AGO as an independent body, its inclusion in the Civil Service has raised difficulties in recruiting skilled legal professionals.

Currently, AGO employees earn lower salaries compared to those in the Prosecutor General’s Office and other independent institutions, due to salary structures governed by civil service regulations.

The proposed Attorney General’s Office Bill aims to establish the AGO as a separate non-civil service entity. It outlines a framework for the office’s operations, including regulations specific to its employees.

Under the bill, AGO staff will be divided into two categories including legal service and administrative service.

Salaries and allowances will be determined by the Minister of Finance, based on policies set by the National Pay Commission under the State Salary Policy Act.

The bill also provides AGO employees with access to a health insurance system and retirement benefits, including an Honorary Retirement Allowance, in line with relevant regulations. It further specifies the constitutional duties of the Attorney General, as well as the responsibilities of the AGO and its staff.

This restructuring would align the AGO with other independent institutions, such as the Prosecutor General’s Office, and follows the precedent set by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which was redefined as Foreign Services and separated from the Civil Service.

The first reading of the bill was heard in Parliament today.