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(10) He must be strong in body and be able to take part in the adminis-

tration of public affairs.

(11) He must be a son of the last reigning Sultan or a grandson in the male line of a Sultan descended from Sultan Ghazi Hasan Izzuddin bin Al-Wazir Muhammad Famu Deri Manikufanu of Hura.

Rules for the Election of a Ruler.

Article 26. The Council of the Ministers, Members of the Legislative Council, the nobles, the learned and the leaders of Malé, should assemble at the palace and hold a special meeting for the purpose of electing a ruler. After deliberating as to the fitness of the candidates, the sense of the meeting should be taken. When two- thirds of the members are agreed upon a suitable candidate, the army, the men of the four wards of Malé, people of other islands then residing at Malé and in the Harbour should be summoned by beating of drums.

The Council of Ministers should then inform those who had been summoned as to the decision arrived at by the special meeting and when the people signify their approval of the candidate selected by the special meeting then the approved candidate should be declared elected as ruler.

The new Sultan should then take the oath of his High Office, in the presence of the members of the special meeting, agreeing to be faithful to the religion of Islam, uphold the Constitution of the Maldives and govern the Kingdom in accordance with the Constitution of the State according to Islamic religion, and rule justly, without fear or favour; thereupon the members of the special meeting shall take their oaths of allegiance to the Sultan and he is thereafter the great Maha Radun or (the full-fledged Sultan).

Article 27. The Sultan is the Supreme Head of the Government. He is incapable of harming and is protected by law in being harmed.

Article 28. The right of assenting to Bills and the other Administrative authority is vested in the Sultan.

Article 29. The Sultan has the power of once sending back all the bills passed and submitted to him by the Legislative Council for its reconsideration with the opinions of the Sultan.

Article 30. Out of the Bills submitted for his assent the following bills shall not be assented to as mentioned under Article 92:-

(a) Any Bill affecting the currency of the Island.

(b) Any Bill imposing differential duties.

(e) Any Bill interfering with discipline or control of His Highness' Land and

Sea Forces.

(d) Any Bill affecting the property rights of the Maldivians residing in

Maldives or out of it.

(e) Any Bill imposing differential treatment on foreigners residing within the

territories of the Maldives.

(f) Any Bill whereby the rights and privileges of the Public Servants may be

prejudiced.

(g) Any Bill relating to questions of defence, public security or any matter affecting naval, military, or volunteers or affecting trade, docks, harbours, shipping, lands and buildings of naval and military interests.

(h) Any Bill affecting the Administration of Justice within the Islands.

(1) Any Bill which will give a right for foreigners to own properties in the

Maldive Islands.

() Any Bill which will give a right to foreigners to trade in any island except

at Malé.

Article 31. Any Bill passed by the Legislative Council and submitted to the Sultan for his assent, is not approved by him, and is not sent back to the Council within one month of its passing, it will be considered as approved by the Sultan, and will become law except those Bills mentioned under Article 30.

Article 32. If a Bill sent back to the Council for reconsideration and if it is passed by a two-thirds majority the Sultan shall give his assent to it, but if it is not passed by a two-thirds majority it should then be considered at the annual meeting

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of the People's Assembly, and if it is passed by a two-thirds majority in the People's Assembly then the Sultan shall give his assent to it, but if it is not passed by a two- thirds majority such Bill then be considered as null and void except those Bills men- tioned under Article 30.

Article 33. If the Council by a two-thirds majority requests the Sultan for some reasons or other to dissolve the Council for certain period or if the period of the exist- ence of the Council has come to an end, the Sultan has the right of dissolving it and summoning a new Council by a written decree.

The duration between the dismissal of a Council and the summoning of a new Council shall not be more than one month.

Article 34. The Sultan has the right to summon meetings of the Council of Ministers and of the Legislative Council for considerations of urgent matters of State. Article 35. In the interval between the dissolution of the Legislative Council and the formation of a new Council, the Sultan has the right of getting emergency measures passed by the Council of Ministers according to Constitution.

Article 36. The Sultan has the right of promulgating new regulations in con- sultation with the Legislative Council.

Article 37. Except the emergency laws all the other enactments will become

law when they are passed by the Legislative Council in accordance with its rules, and has been assented to by the Sultan and published in the Gazette.

Article 38. All the important Bills will only become law in the Islands after they had been submitted to the People's Assembly and had been approved by them and published in the Government Gazette.

Article 39. All the bills, ordinances, and regulations when proclaimed in the Government Gazette shall be given effect to on the date on which such regulations have been notified should be in force.

Article 40. Any Bill or law relating to increment of poll tax or imposition of new taxes affecting the people shall not become law, unless they have been passed. by the Legislative Council and the People's Assembly, and had been assented to by the Sultan.

Article 41 Rules and regulations of passed ordinances will have effect on the dates on which such rules and regulations have been notified in the Government Gazette.

Bill or law refer-

any

The existing rules and regulations could only be modified if ring to such rules and regulations are provided for by law.

Article 42. The Sultan has no right to act in contravention of the rules of the Constitution, and can act only in accordance with the rights and privileges given him by the Constitution.

Article 43. The Sultan shall not interfere in any way with the Shariat-laws, but they shall be promulgated in his name and through his order.

Article 44. Every first session of the Legislative Council shall be opened by the Sultan, and his speech will be read by the Prime Minister. The speech shall deal with the conditions of the Islands and their requirements.

Article 45. The Sultan only has the right of conferring honours and titles to those deserving of such recognitions on the advice of his Ministers.

Article 46. Every public servant shall be appointed or dismissed by the com- mand of the Sultan.

Article 47. The Sultan has the right of enacting any emergency measures for the suppression of sudden and dangerous risings.

Article 48. The Sultan is the Commander-in-Chief of all kinds of fighting units. Appointments and dismissals of military officers rests with the Sultan on the advice of his Ministers. Declarations of warfare and peace and conclusion of the treaties are vested in the Sultan with the advice of the Council of Ministers.

Article 49. All the state affairs shall be conducted by the Sultan through the medium of his Ministers.

Article 50. The right of appointing and dismissing of Ministers and the Ambassadors are vested with the Sultan, but the appointment and dismissal of Ministers shall be carried only by the advice of the Prime Minister, and the appointment and dismissal of Ambassadors on the advice of the Foreign Minister.

Article 51. Before carrying out measures according to Constitutional law, it is incumbent on the Sultan to take the following oath in the presence of the members of the Legislative Council:-

"That I swear by the Almighty God to respect the Constitution, to respect all the Maldivian laws and to uphold the independence of the Maldives and to safeguard the Maldivian Government.