Committee approves Azeez as Information Commissioner

Parliament Committee on Independent Institutions has approved former Maavashu MP Abdul Azeez Jamaal Abu-Bakur to be recommended to the parliament floor as the new Information Commissioner.

Independent Institutions Committee made the decision at a meeting on Wednesday night. Abdul Azeez Jamaal Abu-Bakur scored 88.1 percent from the committee evaluation. A candidates is required to score a minimum of 75 points from the evaluation.

A vote of consent from the parliament floor to appoint Abdul Azeez Jamaal Abu-Bakur has been scheduled for Sunday.

Article 44 (d) of the Right to Information Act, which came into force on 12 July, requires the President to nominate and appoint with parliament consent, an Information Commissioner charged with implementing the relevant right to information legislation.

The Right to Information Act requires the parliament to approve a candidate for the Information Commissioner position within 30 days of the President’s recommendation. However, it does not restrict the parliament from approving an applicant not endorsed by the President.