Ministry of Islamic Affairs fined for failing to attend a hearing at the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICOM), following two prior postponements requested by ministry
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICOM) has stated that the Ministry’s failure to attend the latest scheduled hearing without justification, following two prior requests for postponement, constitutes a deliberate obstruction of the office's mandate.
Minister of Islamic Affairs Dr. Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed | President's Office | president office
The Ministry of Islamic Affairs has been fined for failing to attend a hearing at the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICOM), following two prior requests by the Ministry to postpone the proceedings.
In a statement, the Information Commissioner's Office (ICOM) announced that the Ministry of Islamic Affairs has been fined for failing to attend a scheduled hearing. According to ICOM, the Ministry was absent despite the hearing having been previously postponed twice at their own request. The Ministry was issued a fine of MVR 700 for the non-attendance.
In a statement, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICOM) noted that a hearing regarding a case requiring the Ministry of Islamic Affairs to be held accountable was initially scheduled for the 3rd of this month. However, at the Ministry's request, the hearing was postponed and rescheduled for Sunday. Despite this, the Ministry requested a second postponement to Monday; yet, when the proceedings commenced, the Ministry failed to attend.
ICOM stated that the Ministry of Islamic Affairs failed to provide a reason for its absence from Monday's hearing, which had been scheduled after the Ministry requested two prior postponements.
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICOM) stated that it views the Islamic Ministry’s actions as an obstruction to the discharge of the office's official duties. Furthermore, ICOM noted that under the regulations on the Right to Information, any party unable to attend a scheduled hearing must provide notification at least one hour prior to the commencement of the session.
