On 31 August 2020, the President ratified the Fourth Amendment to the Land Transport Act (Law Number 10/2020) (the Amendment), which grants the Maldives Inland Revenue Authority (MIRA) the power to request for court ordered community service for traffic violations. The Amendment Bill was passed by the parliament on 18 August 2020.

The Amendment states that, where a person’s accumulated traffic violation fines and other fines imposed under the Land Transport Act (the Act) exceed MVR 10,000, the MIRA may request the court to order the person to perform community service in exchange for the waiver of the fines. The Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation (the Ministry) is required to publish regulations regarding the enforcement of court ordered community services, within 6 months from the date of effect of the Amendment.

In addition to the above, the Amendment:

• Requires the Ministry to establish a Road Safety Council which would advise the Ministry on the enforcement of the Act.
• Requires the Ministry to establish a mechanism for the public to contest fines imposed under the Act, within 90 days of date of effect of the Amendment.
• Revises several existing traffic violation fines and introduces new ones.
• Requires private hire service providers to register with the Ministry and obtain relevant licenses.
• Introduces specific procures to be followed by the police with respect to impounded vehicles.

The Amendment would come into effect on 30 November 2020.