Applicants for Media Regulation Committee urged to seek record clearance in advance

Applicants for the newly formed Media Regulation Committee, established under the Maldives Media and Broadcasting Regulation Act, are being advised to obtain their record clearance ahead of time to avoid delays from the Department of Judicial Administration (DJA).

In an announcement, the DJA stated that while applications remain open until October 4, it is working closely with relevant courts to expedite the clearance process. However, it noted that criminal record data from courts across the country has not yet been fully integrated into its automated central database.

As a result, courts have urged applicants to submit their requests well in advance, as manual processing may take time. The DJA also cautioned that it will not be able to provide clearance for any request submitted after 1:00 p.m. on October 2, which may result in missing the application deadline set by the Election Commission.

The Media and Broadcasting Commission will be composed of seven members: three appointed by Parliament and four elected through a vote among media professionals. The Election Commission has opened applications for two representatives from broadcasters and two from the wider media sector.

According to the Commission’s announcement, applications will be accepted until 2:00 p.m. on October 4. Voting is scheduled to take place on October 11, between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., with ballot boxes located only in Malé City. Vote counting will begin within 30 minutes of polls closing, followed by the announcement of official results.

The formation of this new commission has sparked significant concern among journalists, many of whom have criticised the law it was founded on. The UN Human Rights Committee has also publicly called for the legislation to be repealed.