Parliament approves Abdul Aziz for second term as Information Commissioner

Parliament on Wednesday approved the appointment of Abdul Aziz Jamal Abubakuru as Information Commissioner, returning him to a post he previously held during the administration of former President Abdulla Yameen.

Abdul Aziz, who currently serves as a State Minister at the Heritage Ministry, was approved with 47 votes. Eleven MPs voted against his appointment.

The appointment comes as the five-year term of Information Commissioner Ahid Rasheed is due to expire on 6 September.

Applications for the position were opened earlier this month. President Dr Mohamed Muizzu submitted only Abdul Aziz’s name to Parliament from among those who applied for the post.

Abdul Aziz previously served as the first Information Commissioner following the establishment of the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICOM).

His nomination drew objections from Transparency Maldives and others working on access to information, which raised concerns over the implementation of the Right to Information (RTI) Act during his previous tenure.

Transparency Maldives had called on Parliament to reject the nomination and reopen the application process.

The organisation said access to information was restricted during Abdul Aziz’s term and raised concerns about the handling of cases and the implementation of procedures under the RTI Act.

Concerns have also been raised over the dismissal of cases submitted to the commission and hearings conducted without public access during his tenure.

Abdul Aziz previously served as a Member of Parliament for the Maavashu constituency and was associated with the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM).

He received the National Award of Recognition in 2020 for his work in Dhivehi language and literature and has worked as a researcher and author in the field.

Abdul Aziz has also served in the education sector for more than 22 years.