The Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has submitted a proposal to amend the law seeking to grant the Parliament the authority to appoint members to the Election Commission of Maldives (ECM). The amendment was introduced by opposition member and Parliamentarian Yoonus Ali.
Under the current law, the president holds the sole authority to appoint members to the ECM. This process involves inviting nominations, selection of the best candidate by the president, and approval from the Parliament members. Yoonus Ali's proposed amendment aims to give Parliament a more active role in the appointment process.
According to the proposed amendment, whenever ECM needs to appoint new members, Parliament would publicly announce the opportunity for applications. The applications would then be reviewed, and a detailed report would be prepared by the Committee on Independent Institutions, which would be submitted to Parliament for consideration. Currently, Parliament's role is limited to approving the candidates selected by the president.
Meanwhile, as this proposed amendment is being discussed, the term of ECM member Ismail Habeeb has come to an end. The president has submitted the application of ECM's Secretary General Hassan Zakariyya for approval to become a member of the ECM. This process is ongoing amidst the discussions surrounding the proposed amendment to the appointment process for ECM members.