Parliament grants consent to Azima Shakoor as Attorney General

The parliament has approved the appointment by President Dr Mohamed Waheed of Aishath Azima Shakoor as the attorney general.

The motion was passed with 38 votes in favour of granting consent, and 31 against.

Azima Shakoor was re-appointed as attorney general after her appointment as the minister of gender, family and human rights was rejected by the parliament.

Prior to voting today, the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) issued a three-line whip in favour of granting consent to Azima Shakoor.

Speaking at today’s parliament sitting, Maamigili MP Gasim Ibrahim said that Azima Shakoor is the most capable person for the role of attorney general, and that she has proved this in the past.

Kudahuvadhoo MP Ahmed Amir said that he did not understand why the Committee on Government Oversight decided against granting consent to Azima Shakoor, and that their reason was also not clear in their report.

Members of Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) said that consent should not be sought for a person who had once been rejected by the parliament.

Some MPs opposed this claim, and said that consent was sought and even granted for some people in the second attempt during the MDP government.

MDP voted against granting consent to Azima today.