Ali Hussain says electing independent institutions through public vote is the best safeguard

Former Kendhoo MP and lawyer Ali Hussain said Thursday that giving any government a clear majority in Parliament weakens the independence of state institutions, and that the best solution is to elect members of independent institutions directly through a public vote.

Speaking at Policy MV’s “Siyaasathu Haassa” forum on the proposal to hold presidential and parliamentary elections on the same day, Ali said the President must exercise powers strictly within the law, and the state must always be run with the people at the centre.

He argued that recalibrating the system requires returning to the people more frequently.

Ali said parliamentary elections should ideally take place midway through a five‑year presidential term. Based on recent experience, he said, giving the ruling administration a dominant majority in Parliament has eroded the independence of the legislature, state institutions and even the judiciary.

“For that reason, I believe members of independent institutions should also be elected by the people,” he said.

Ali noted that the public already interacts with government agencies through digital ID systems, and that recruitment processes are increasingly being handled through eFaas. He cited the United States as an example, where some states elect members of the judiciary through popular vote.

He contrasted this with the Maldives’ current system, where the President’s Office or a relevant authority opens applications for independent institutions, shortlists candidates, and sends names to Parliament for approval before appointees are sworn in.

Ali said one of the biggest concerns among the public is that independent institutions are not functioning as intended. Bodies such as the Anti‑Corruption Commission (ACC) and the Human Rights Commission of Maldives (HRCM) have repeatedly faced criticism over performance and accountability.

He added that in recent years, when governments have held clear parliamentary majorities, concerns have consistently been raised about the lack of independence and oversight within these institutions.