Parliament to approve decisions by the Pay Commission

Parliament has amended the State salaries and policies bill such that the Pay Commission would require implementing their orders according to the specifications of the parliament.

One of the reasons highlighted by President Dr. Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik when he sent the State salaries and policies bill back to the parliament for reconsideration was because it required the Pay Commission’s decisions to require parliament’s approval. The bill was first passed during the third term of parliament last year.

A report on the bill compiled and presented to the parliament floor by the Parliament Public Accounts Committee states that checks and balances will be ensured if the power to allocate salaries to for the legislature, judiciary, the government and the independent institutions, was granted to the Pay Commission in conjunction with the parliament.

A letter by President Dr. Mohamed Waheed to the parliament regarding the bill had stated that the parliament to have a say in the decisions made by the Pay Commission might cause the blur the distinction of the separation of powers as stipulated by Constitution, and that it might cause setbacks in the functioning of the State. He advised the parliament to grant the prerogatives of running the state and setting the policies, to the government.

The five member Pay Commission will be mandated to review and revise the State salary structure to suite the current arrangement of the State.

The bill on State salaries and policies presented to the parliament in 2011 by the Kulhudhuffushi-south MP Mohamed Nasheed requires the 5 member Pay Commission to be assembled and appointed by the President, and the commission be headed by the Minister of Finance. It also states that a single term of office for the commission shall be limited to 5 a year terms, and that salaries for the members of the commission shall be allocated by the president, as advised by the parliament.