Parliament on Tuesday approved the appointment of Elections Commission member Mohamed Shakeel as President of the Elections Commission.

Shakeel, who previously served as Managing Director of Maldives Hajj Corporation, was appointed as a member of the Elections Commission last Thursday. President Dr Mohamed Muizzu subsequently sought Parliament's approval for his appointment as President of the Commission.

The nomination was reviewed by Parliament's Independent Institutions Committee, which decided not to conduct a further interview. The committee noted that Shakeel had already been interviewed and assessed for his appointment as a member of the Elections Commission, with his educational qualifications and professional experience taken into consideration. The committee therefore recommended his appointment as President of the Commission.

Parliament approved the appointment by a majority vote during Tuesday's sitting.

Shakeel previously served as Director General of the Bank of Maldives before joining the Elections Commission as Director General. He was appointed as a member of the Elections Commission in 2014 and served until May 2018.

Shakeel holds academic qualifications in finance and has extensive professional experience in the field.