Supreme Court makes itself authority on validity of no-confidence motions
The apex court made this ruling after the Attorney General’s Office filed a case seeking to disallow 'politicized' no-confidence motions against cabinet ministers
The sign board at the entrance to the Supreme Court in capital city Malé
The Supreme Court has on Monday ruled that its bench shall be the final authority in deciding the validity of no-confidence motions.
The apex court made this ruling after the Attorney General’s Office filed a case seeking to disallow no-confidence motions against cabinet ministers that do not have a ‘valid basis’.
On 15th May, the Supreme Court had announced that its entire bench of judges would preside over the case.
The government’s case did not specify as to what constitutes the validity of a no-confidence motion against a minister, but states that it seeks to deter politicized acts within parliament.
An official from the AG’s office said that the constitution currently vests unjust authority with parliamentarians as it allows them to dismiss members of government for political reasons, adding that this is detrimental to the democratic principle of separating powers.
Opposition parties had then announced their decision pursue motions against three members of President Abdulla Yameen’s cabinet.
