Haseeb nominated for EC membership as Fuad’s term set to expire in Nov

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has nominated Abdul Haseeb Ismail for appointment as a member of the Elections Commission (EC), with the term of the commission’s incumbent chairperson Fuad Thaufeeq set to expire in November.

The term of longtime commissioner Fuad is set to expire on November 24.

The letter nominating Haseeb to the post was read at the Parliament on Monday morning as it reopened after recess. In the letter, President Muizzu named Haseeb as his choice, but also included the names of other eligible candidates who applied for the post.

Haseeb was appointed as the permanent secretary at the Islamic Ministry in 2019, but was suspended and later dismissed in 2021, following allegations of ill treatment of the ministry’s staff.

He currently serves as an assistant director at the EC.

The nomination has been sent to the Independent Institutions Committee for review.

Applications for the upcoming vacancy at the five-member EC opened on September 12.

Fuad had served as a member of the EC from 2008-2014, serving as the commission’s chairperson from 2009-2014.

He was reappointed to the EC in 2019, and as the commission’s chairperson in 2021.

The term of a member of the EC is five years. The law bars commissioners from serving more than two consecutive terms.

The incumbent members of the EC other than Fuad are deputy chairperson Ali Nashath, Dr. Mohamed Zahir, Mohamed Asif, and Hassan Zakariyya.