Parliament approves Abdul Azeez for Information Commissioner despite calls to reject appointment!
26 އޯގަސްޓު 2026 | ބުދަ 11:57Transparency Maldives and opposition lawmakers opposed the appointment of Abdul Azeez Jamal Abu Bakr as Information Commissioner, citing his previous failure to effectively enforce the law during his prior tenure in the role. Despite these concerns, the Parliament, dominated by the ruling PNC majority, approved his appointment with 47 votes in favor.
Parliament approves appointment of Abdul Azeez Jamal Abu Bakr as Information Commissioner. | Presidents Office
The Parliament has approved the appointment of Abdul Azeez Jamal Abu-Bakr to the post of Information Commissioner.
Despite calls from Transparency Maldives and numerous members of the public to withhold the appointment, and a formal request by Galolhu North MP Mohamed Ibrahim (Kudu) to withdraw the nomination, the PNC-led supermajority in Parliament approved the appointment during Wednesday’s session without addressing these concerns.
The matter was reviewed by the Parliament’s Committee on Independent Institutions. Following the presentation of the committee's report during Wednesday's sitting, a vote was called on its recommendation. Abdul Azeez was approved for the position with a majority of 47 members voting in favor. Twelve members voted against his appointment.
On August 23, 2026, Transparency Maldives sent a formal letter to Hussain Riza Adam, the Chairperson of the Parliament's Independent Institutions Committee. In the letter, the organization alleged that Abdul Azeez had failed to fully enforce the law during his previous tenure as a commissioner.
Transparency Maldives stated that the Right to Information (RTI) forms designed during Abdul Azeez’s tenure were structured in a manner that obstructs the exercise of that right. The organization further noted that despite their efforts to address these concerns, the issues were disregarded without resolution.
Transparency Maldives has stated that the Information Commissioner's Office held its first legally mandated public hearing only after the departure of Abdul Azeez and the subsequent appointment of the second Information Commissioner.
Transparency Maldives has stated that Abdul Azeez is not the most qualified candidate for the position of Information Commissioner, urging the Parliament to reopen the application process for the role.
In a subsequent press release, Mohamed Ibrahim (Kudu), the Member of Parliament for the North Galolhu constituency, emphasized that the right to information is the most fundamental power granted to citizens to monitor the expenditure of public funds and the decision-making processes of the state. He further stated that without full access to this right, corruption would flourish and the ability to hold state institutions accountable would be severely diminished.
Member Kudu has called for the withdrawal of Abdul Azeez's nomination, warning that appointing an individual who advocates for the reinstatement of previous secretive practices would undermine the entire system and severely restrict the right to information.
