President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has appointed Mohamed Shakeel as a member of the Elections Commission following parliamentary approval of his nomination.
Shakeel took the oath of office during a ceremony held at the President's Office. The oath was administered by Supreme Court Judge Mohamed Saleem, after which Shakeel signed the official declaration of oath.
During the ceremony, President Muizzu presented the letter of appointment to Shakeel.
The vacancy on the Elections Commission arose following the resignation of Mohamed Zahid from both his position as President and member of the Commission.
After applications were opened to fill the vacant seat, President Muizzu nominated Shakeel for the post and submitted his name to Parliament for approval. Parliament subsequently approved the appointment.
Shakeel brings previous experience within the Elections Commission, having served as a member from 3 December 2014 to 9 May 2018. Prior to that, he served as Director General of the Commission from 1 September 2013 to 3 December 2014.
During his interview before Parliament's Committee on Independent Institutions, Shakeel said he had resigned from the Commission in 2018 because he did not believe there was an environment that allowed him to carry out his duties independently.
He stated that if a similar situation arose in the future, he would again choose to resign, stressing his commitment to independence.
Shakeel also told the committee that, if appointed, he would work independently and ensure that all political parties have opportunities to raise concerns and engage in dialogue with the Commission.
With Shakeel's appointment, the Elections Commission has returned to its full complement of five members.
The current members of the Commission are Vice President Abdul Rahman Salah Rasheed, Hassan Zakariyya, Abdul Haseeb Ismail, Riffath Abdulla and Mohamed Shakeel.
The position of President of the Elections Commission remains vacant.
Under the law, the President of the Maldives may appoint a President of the Elections Commission from among its members, subject to parliamentary approval.