The People’s Majlis has approved the appointment of Ismail Habeeb to the Human Rights Commission of Maldives (HRCM).

Parliament on Wednesday voted on the report prepared by the Human Rights and Gender Committee, that approved Habeeb’s appointment to the commission, during a meeting held on Tuesday.

74 out of the 77 lawmakers voted in favor of the appointment. Three members voted against.

The members present at the committee meeting on Tuesday unanimously voted to green light his appointment.

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu nominated Habeeb for membership at HRCM in mid-July.

Muizzu forwarded the nomination for review, to the People’s Majlis on July 15. The letter addressed by the president, seeking parliamentary approval to appoint Habeeb as a member at HRCM, was read out at the parliamentary sitting and it was referred to the Human Rights and Gender Committee the same day.

Habeeb is the former Vice President of the Elections Commission (EC).

An application window for a vacancy at HRCM was last opened during June 2024, following the recent resignation of Vice President of the commission Dr. Ahmed Adhuham Abdulla. It was initially opened in October 2023.

Appointments to HRCM are made under the powers vested to the president under Section 5(a) of the Human Rights Commission Act (Act 6/2006), which stipulates that the members of HRCM shall be appointed by the president after parliamentary approval.

According to the Human Rights Commission Act of the Maldives, the commission must comprise of five members.