Govt proposes presidential power in ACC, EC chief appointments
Under the proposed amendments, the President would have the authority to appoint the heads of the ACC and EC.
The government has introduced two legislative bills in Parliament aimed at amending the laws governing the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and the Election Commission (EC).
The proposed amendments, put forth on October 24, focus on granting the President the authority to appoint the President and Vice-President of both commissions. These amendments seek to shift certain powers regarding commission leadership from internal commission members to the President, with parliamentary oversight for appointments.
The bills, introduced by Felidhoo MP Adam Zahir for the ACC Act and Kelaa MP Abdullah Shareef for the EC Act, outline specific changes to the appointment and resignation processes for the heads of these commissions. The first reading of these amendments is scheduled for the following day.
Key Amendments Proposed in the Bills are:
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Parliamentary Approval of Leadership Appointments: Under the proposed amendments, the President would have the authority to appoint the heads of the ACC and EC. However, the nominations for President and Vice-President of each commission would require parliamentary approval before taking effect.
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Resignation Protocol for Commission Leaders: The amendments outline that if the President or Vice-President of either commission wishes to resign, they may do so by submitting a resignation letter to the President, clearly stating their reason for departure. This formalized process centralizes resignation protocols with the President's office.
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Removal of Commission-Based Vote for Resignation: Currently, a provision in the ACC Act allows for the President or Vice-President of the ACC to be removed from office if a majority of the commission members agree that they are not fulfilling their responsibilities. The proposed amendment would remove this internal mechanism, making dismissal dependent solely on other processes, likely involving the President.
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Timely Replacement of Vacant Positions: Should a leadership position in either commission become vacant, the President would be required to submit a new candidate’s name to Parliament within 72 hours for approval. This is intended to ensure continuity and minimize delays in filling critical leadership roles.
Presently, if the office of the President or Vice-President of either the ACC or EC becomes vacant, the President must nominate candidates for parliamentary approval. These candidates must be endorsed by a parliamentary majority to assume the role.
Recently, on October 14, the President submitted Abdul Haseeb Ismail’s name to Parliament to fill the soon-to-be-vacant seat of EC Chairman, as the current chairman, Fuwad Thaufeeq, reaches the end of his term.
