Deputy Speaker of the Parliament Ahmed Nazim has stated that members appointed to various independent commissions by the previous administration, lacked professionalism. He made the remarks while speaking regarding the amendment proposed to the Anti-Corruption Commission Act.
The government has proposed amendments aimed at granting the president the authority to appoint the president and vice-president of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and the Elections Commission of the Maldives (ECM). These amendments seek to strengthen the operations of independent commissions and to streamline the appointment process for the president and vice-president from among the appointed members of each commission.
Under the proposed amendments, the president and vice-president of the commissions will be selected by the President from the existing members. The names of the nominees must then be submitted to parliament for consideration and approval.
Addressing the parliament, Deputy Speaker Nazim highlighted that the previous administration dismissed five members from the ACC and appointed new members. However, he noted that the public does not agree that the the commission fulfils its responsibilities. Therefore, he affirmed that the government is working to establish a system to observe these cases.
Furthermore, Nazim expressed his firm belief that the president must have the sole power to appoint the president and vice-president for the commission. He added that the commission members elected by the previous government failed to show professionalism.
Presently, the president and vice president for ACC and ECM are elected by a voting session within the commission. If the president of either commission wishes to resign, they are required to submit a resignation letter to the commission. Similarly, if the vice-president intends to resign, they must inform the president of the commission. The proposed amendments, however, stipulate that any resignation from the president or vice-president of the commissions must be directed to the president of the Maldives.