Azmiralda and Mahaz’s case - Supreme Court paralyzed for nearly two months
JSC held an emergency meeting at the order Muizzu to suspend three judges while a constitutional case was proceeding at Supreme Court
Supreme Court of the Maldives
It has been nearly two months since the Supreme Court has been halted after three judges were suspended and two judges were said to be under investigation for the probe in connection with disciplinary issues.
While the Supreme Court was proceeding with the case of the constitutional amendment brought by the supermajority of the People’s Majlis to allow lawmakers to be stripped of their seats if desired by a small committee within the main ruling People’s National Congress (PNC), the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) held an emergency meeting at the order of President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu and suspended three Supreme Court judges.
Supreme Court Judges Dr. Azmiralda Zahir, Husnu Al Suood, and Mahaz Ali Zahir were suspended while they were in the chamber after scheduling a hearing on the case filed with the court to issue a temporary order on the case of dismissing members. The three judges were suspended on 26 February 2025, after JSC held an emergency meeting and made a decision within 10 minutes.
On 4 March 2025, Suood resigned from the bench, stating that the president had violated the Constitution of the Republic of Maldives. JSC is presently investigating the cases of suspended Judges Mahaz Ali Zahir and Dr. Azmiralda Zahir.
As the Supreme Court stands now, a constitutional case can only be heard by a bench consisting of all the judges of the court; a bench of seven judges. After Suood's resignation, Hussain Shaheed was appointed to replace him. This means that the Supreme Court bench presently consists of five judges.
When asked whether the cases of the two judges are being investigated and for the latest updates on the case, an employee of JSC told RaajjeMV that JSC will not share details of cases under investigation, and that JSC will only share information after investigating a judge's case if the case is proven against the judge, which would be JSC's decision. Even after repeated inquiries, the JSC employee said that the commission’s policy is to only disclose information about judges against whom action is taken in connection with investigations.
It has been revealed that the judges were suspended in connection with a case being investigated by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). However, ACC has not revealed the nature of the case.
In addition to this, JSC has not disclosed any details of the case under investigation. While it has been stated that the cases of two judges are being investigated by JSC, a separate disciplinary case is also being investigated because Judge Azmiralda has been issuing press releases.
While three judges were suspended under the government's plan to stop a major constitutional case filed at the Supreme Court, many lawyers included in the Bar Council have also expressed concern about how the Bar Council member in JSC, voted.
