Govt appeals order to disclose sacked political staffs details
The government stated that the reduction would save MVR 5.7 million per month.
The Attorney General's Office has appealed against the Information Commissioner's Office (ICOM) decision requiring the disclosure of names of dismissed political employees.
As part of the government’s fiscal reform measures to reduce public spending, the President’s Office announced on January 1 that 248 political employees had been dismissed.
In December, the ICOM instructed the President’s Office to disclose the names of these employees and the ministries where they worked under the Access to Information Act.
According to the High Court registry, the Attorney General's Office filed appeals against three ICOM decisions on Sunday. The High Court has yet to decide whether to accept the cases.
The President’s Office has refused to release the requested information, citing privacy concerns. The office argues that:
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The names of political employees constitute personal information.
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Revealing the ministries where they worked could indirectly disclose their identities.
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The information is therefore exempt from disclosure under the Access to Information Act.
In October, President Mohamed Muizzu announced plans to reduce political staff to cut government spending. The government stated that the reduction would save MVR 5.7 million per month. However, concerns have been raised regarding the overall effectiveness of these measures in addressing the country’s financial situation.
