Nazim Criticises Professionalism in Independent Commissions, Supports Proposed Amendment

Deputy Speaker of Parliament Ahmed Nazim has raised concerns about the professionalism of members appointed to independent commissions by the previous administration.

His comments came during discussions on an amendment to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Act, which would modify how key figures within these commissions are appointed.

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The proposed amendments, introduced by the government, aim to grant the president the authority to appoint the president and vice-president of both the ACC and the Elections Commission of the Maldives (ECM). These changes are intended to strengthen the operational efficiency of independent commissions and streamline the selection process by allowing the president to select these roles from within the commissions’ current members.

Under the revised system, the president would nominate individuals from among the appointed members of each commission for the leadership roles. These nominations would then be subject to parliamentary consideration and approval.

In his address, Deputy Speaker Nazim highlighted the previous administration’s decision to remove five members from the ACC and appoint new ones, a move he suggested had not satisfied public expectations. He expressed the government’s commitment to establishing a mechanism for monitoring commission performance more effectively.

Nazim further advocated for granting the president the exclusive power to appoint the heads of these commissions, stating that the members chosen by the previous administration had not demonstrated adequate professionalism.

Currently, the president and vice-president of the ACC and ECM are chosen through an internal voting process within each commission. Under existing rules, any resignation by the president or vice-president of either commission must be submitted to the commission itself. However, the proposed amendments would require that resignations be directed to the president of the Maldives instead.