Defence ministry appeals ICOM decision on salary details

Defence ministry has filed an appeal in the High Court against a decision by the Information Commission's Office (ICOM) to disclose the salary details of senior officials.

The appeal follows a complaint filed with ICOM, which notified the defence ministry on May 27, regarding the request. ICOM instructed the ministry to release the requested information within five official days.

According to the High Court registry, the defence ministry filed the appeal on October 24. The registry has yet to determine whether the case will be accepted for review.

The ICOM decision, based on the Right to Information Act, emphasised that public interest should take precedence. It called for the disclosure of names and salaries of politically appointed employees and those in management positions within the ministry. It also stipulated that the names and salaries of the heads of divisions, sections, and units should be made public.

In a separate matter earlier, the defence ministry had appealed to the High Court for clarification regarding the restriction on Dhivehi pilots flying vehicles donated by India to the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF).

Following public criticism, the ministry revised its stance and explained that no Maldivian pilots were trained to operate the donated vehicles.