The parliamentary review committee on independent institutions has on Wednesday passed the bill to empower two presidential inquiry commissions.

The two commissions are those formed to recover state assets and to investigate disappearances and deaths. The bill to grant them investigative authority was submitted by Alifushi constituency MP Mohamed Rasheed.

The bill, which proposes the commission be given authority to order other state institutions to cease any process of cases they are investigating, has been proven to be contentious.

Lawmakers aligned with the Progressive Party of Maldives has claimed that the commissions impede authority of the Anti-Corruption Commission and law enforcement.

Former President Abdulla Yameen, leader of the party, has also gone as far to say that commissions are unconstitutional and that he would seek a Supreme Court verdict on the matter if the bill is passed.