President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom signed and ratified the new constitution of the Maldives at a ceremony held at Dharubaaruge.
The ceremony took place at 10:00am today and President Gayoom addressed the nation before he signed the document adopting the new constitution. The signing was followed by a seven-gun salute, courtesy of the Maldives National Defence Force, and a special short prayer was also recited by the President of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs Sheikh Mohamed Rasheed Ibrahim.
Government spokesperson Mohammed Shareef said that the new constitution also embodies, for the first time, independent bodies for human rights, judiciary, police, defense, elections and corruption investigation.
