President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has nominated Mohamed Shakeel for appointment as a member of the Elections Commission (EC), following a vacancy created by the resignation of former EC Chairperson Mohamed Zahid.

The nomination was submitted to Parliament after Zahid resigned from the commission despite having more than three years remaining in his term. No reason was publicly provided for his resignation. The Elections Commission is composed of five members.

The President's letter seeking parliamentary approval for Shakeel's appointment was read during Monday's sitting of Parliament. Along with Shakeel's name, the President also submitted the names of all eligible candidates who had applied for the position, although Shakeel was the only nominee put forward for appointment.

Shakeel currently serves as the Managing Director of Maldives Hajj Corporation and previously served as a member of the Elections Commission. He was a member of the commission from 3 December 2014 to 9 May 2018 and also served as the commission's Director General.

The nomination has been forwarded to Parliament's Independent Institutions Committee for review and vetting before being presented to the full Parliament for approval.