ACC will not improve until its members are directly elected by the people: Ali Hussain
Former Prosecutor General Hussain Shameem has recommended replacing the five-member Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) with a single commissioner, citing the current system's failure to effectively curb corruption. In response, legal expert Ali Hussain argued that since parliamentary appointments often align with government interests, the position should instead be decided by a direct public vote. Reflecting on the experiences of the past 20 years, Shameem emphasized that meaningful progress against corruption can only be achieved through such fundamental systemic reforms.
Attorney Ali Hussain during an appearance on RaajjeTV. | Raajje MV
Legal expert Ali Hussain has stated that the Anti-Corruption Commission will remain ineffective as long as its commissioner is not elected directly by a public vote.
Ali Hussain made these remarks while sharing a social media post by former Prosecutor General Hussain Shameem, who asserted that the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has failed to investigate corruption cases and proposed that the commission be dissolved and replaced by a single commissioner.
Noting that the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has failed to produce results as an independent institution, Shameem stated that the current commission president is someone who will carry out any task requested by the government of the day.
As an example, Shameem highlighted the role played by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) during the chaotic and irregular removal of Supreme Court justices, which was carried out outside of established legal procedures.
Shameem stated that it would be more effective to have a single commissioner at the Anti-Corruption Commission, rather than a five-member board, similar to the structures of the Prosecutor General and the Commissioner General of Taxation.
In this regard, Ali Hussain stated that even if the Commissioner is appointed by the People's Majlis, the position will ultimately be filled by the President's preferred candidate. He further noted that this is because the Parliament currently functions as if it were a government department.
In a post shared on his personal blog, Shameem stated that this system would bring an end to the culture of the People’s Majlis dismissing members of independent commissions without due cause. Shameem further noted that a commissioner should only be removed after identifying specific failures or unfulfilled objectives from the proposal they submitted during their interview process, and only after being granted a fair opportunity to be held accountable for those matters.
Shameem stated that if there is a genuine desire to combat corruption effectively and achieve tangible results from investigations, the system must be reformed as proposed. He noted that, based on the experience of the past 20 years, such structural changes are essential to delivering meaningful outcomes.
