High Court registers AG appeal over dismissed political staff
On 1 November, the President’s Office announced that 248 political employees had been dismissed
The High Court has registered an appeal filed by the Attorney General's Office challenging the Information Commissioner's Office (ICOM) decision to disclose the names of dismissed political employees.
On 1 November, the President’s Office announced that 248 political employees had been dismissed as part of the government’s fiscal reform measures aimed at reducing state expenditure.
In December, the ICOM directed the President’s Office to disclose the names of the dismissed employees and the ministries they were employed under, citing the Access to Information Act.
According to the High Court registry, the Attorney General's Office appealed all three ICOM decisions in January. The court has now officially registered the cases and informed both the ICOM and the information requesters that the matter has been accepted for hearing.
The President’s Office has refused to release the information, stating that the names of political employees are considered personal information. It also argued that revealing the ministries where they worked could lead to their identities being disclosed, making the information ineligible for public release under the Access to Information Act.
President Mohamed Muizzu announced in October that the reduction in political staff was part of efforts to manage government spending. He stated that this measure would result in monthly savings of MVR 5.7 million.
The government has faced criticism over the country’s financial situation, with calls for further reductions in political appointments.
