Two bills have been introduced in Parliament to amend the laws to give the President the power to appoint the President and Vice-President of the Elections Commission (EC) and the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
The changes proposed by the government would allow President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu to influence the two most important independent institutions in the Maldives.
The Amendment Bill to the EC Act was moved by Kelaa MP Abdulla Shareef while the Amendment Bill to the ACC Act was moved by Felidhoo MP Adam Zahir. The first reading has been heard for both bills.
At present, both the Presidents and Vice-Presidents of the two commissions are appointed through a vote among the members. The President and Parliament shall be notified of the decision within 48 hours.
The proposed changes will give the President the power to appoint the President and Vice-President from among the members of the Commissions. The names of the appointees must be submitted to the Parliament for approval.
The two bills also state that their resignations must be submitted to the President.
Main responsibilities of the President of the ACC and EC
- Determine the agenda of the meetings, set the date and time of the meetings
- To set an example and leadership role in compliance with the Code of Conduct
- Determine the rules relating to the conduct and maintenance of administrative functions, ensure that administrative matters are conducted in accordance with such rules and take necessary measures
- Chair the meetings of the Commission
- Implementation of the decisions of the Commission
The law currently states that the Vice-President shall assume the responsibilities of the President in the event of his inability to perform his duties or in the event of his absence or vacancy.
The ruling People's National Congress (PNC) currently has a supermajority in the Parliament and ruling party MPs have been rubber-stamping matters forwarded by the government.
With the amendment of these laws, President Muizzu will handpick people to manage the commissions and set the agenda for the meetings.
