The Parliament on Tuesday approved three members to the newly established Maldives Media and Broadcasting Commission, marking a major step in operationalizing the country’s new unified media regulatory body.

The three appointees, former Broadcasting Commission Chairperson Safa Shafeeq, Aminath Sarahath Izzath, and Mohamed Farshath each received 54 votes in favor.

Their nominations were endorsed by the parliamentary Independent Institutions Committee, which shortlisted eight candidates from an initial pool of ten following interviews and evaluations.

Candidates who achieved more than 75 percent in the committee’s assessment were forwarded for parliamentary approval.

With these appointments, Parliament has filled its three designated seats on the seven-member commission.

The remaining four members Abdul Azeez Ibrahim and Zam’ath Ahmed Waheed (representing broadcasters), along with Simaha Naseem and Hussain Sageef (representing other media) had been elected unopposed earlier this month.

The Maldives Media and Broadcasting Commission, established under the recently enacted Media and Broadcasting Regulation Act, merges the functions of the former Maldives Media Council (MMC) and the Maldives Broadcasting Commission (Broadcom).

Under the new structure, all documentation and archives of newspapers and magazines previously registered with the Ministry of Homeland Security and Technology will be transferred to the new commission.

Henceforth, all new media and broadcasting entities will be required to register directly with the Commission.