New guidelines for submitting legal documents to government gazette

The guidelines for submitting legal documents for publication in the Government Gazette have been updated, following a directive issued by the President’s Office on Sunday. Effective from November 24, all government ministries and institutions are required to revise their procedures for submitting legal documents to the President’s Office for publication in the Government of Maldives Gazette. As per the new directive, these documents must now be sent to the email address [email protected]. In the case that amendments are required to documents already submitted, the revised versions must be addressed to the President’s Office in accordance with Directive No. 4/2015. This applies to official documents and letters that require the President’s signature. The revised documents should include a covering letter signed by the Minister or the official in charge at the time of submission. For state agencies and institutions not under ministry jurisdiction, revised documents should also be sent to the specified email address and must be accompanied by the signature of the responsible official. Additionally, Ministries and their related institutions are instructed to consult the Attorney General’s Office for legal advice before preparing documents for publication. The consultation record and the Attorney General’s advice must be included with the submission. Each institution must also designate a focal point responsible for this process, and provide the name, title, and contact information of the designated official. The directive further emphasizes the importance of reviewing documents for compliance with legal and linguistic standards prior to submission. Any necessary corrections must be made before publication. While the procedures for submitting documents to the President’s Office have been updated, the existing guidelines under President’s Office Directive No. 11/2010, which governs the actions of Government offices and agencies, and Directive No. 25/2010, concerning Government offices, remain unchanged. These directives continue to require that all legal documents be submitted with the advice of the Attorney General’s Office.