ICOM continues hearings despite lack of office

The Information Commissioner's Office (ICOM) has said it will continue to hold hearings regularly, despite challenges arising from the deteriorating condition of its office building.

The office, previously located in G. Billoorijehige, has become unusable, and employees have been working remotely since Monday. Of the three hearings scheduled for Tuesday, one was held. The remaining two were postponed, one due to the petitioner's absence and the other at the request of the respondent.

Speaking about the situation, Information Commissioner Ahid Rasheed said arrangements are being made to conduct three hearings a day online until alternative office space becomes available.

“There were no connection issues during today’s hearing. Minor challenges may occur while working online, but efforts are being made to minimise them,” he said.

Ahid added that efforts will be made to hold more than three hearings on some days to avoid increasing the backlog. Open hearings will continue as scheduled, but closed hearings cannot be held under current conditions. The Commission is seeking access to a government meeting room for this purpose.

The Ministry of Finance has granted permission to rent a new building. ICOM has since issued a notice for the acquisition process. Bids will be accepted for about a week and opened on Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. at the current ICOM premises.

ICOM’s annual report last year also noted the building’s poor condition had affected operations. The office had not undergone major repairs for an extended period, and requests for a permanent solution had not yielded results. Previously, work was divided into two shifts, and some staff were assigned to the meeting room due to lack of space.