President Mohamed Muizzu has nominated Mohamed Shakeel, the former Registrar of the ruling People’s National Congress (PNC), for the position of President of the Elections Commission (EC).
The nomination was forwarded to the Parliament’s Committee on Independent Institutions for review during today’s sitting.
In addition to his role as PNC Registrar, Shakeel most recently served as the Managing Director of the Maldives Hajj Corporation. He previously served as a member of the EC during the administration of former President Abdulla Yameen.
Shakeel was again appointed as a member of the EC last Wednesday. The vacancy on the commission arose following the resignation of its former President, Mohamed Zahid, on May 1.
Under previous provisions of the Elections Commission Act, the President of the Commission was elected through a vote among its members. However, following recent legislative amendments introduced by the current administration, the President now holds the authority to both nominate and appoint the head of the commission.
Prior to his resignation, former EC President Zahid faced pressure from the government. This pressure was directed toward taking action against opposition political parties, and intensified following the government's setbacks in recent local council elections and referendums.
