JSC's investigation committee decides to dismiss judges Azmiralda and Mahaz
The commission has stated that the final decision on dismissing the judges will be made after the judges respond to the report
Justice Dr. Azmiralda Zahir (L) and Mahaz Ali Zahir (R)
The investigation team of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has decided to dismiss Supreme Court judges Dr. Azmiralda Zahir and Mahaz Ali Zahir.
It has been reported that the decision was made in the final investigation report compiled by the committee on the case alleging that Azmiralda and Mahaz influenced a detention order for Azmiralda's husband, Ismail Latheef, at a JSC meeting held on Thursday night.
While the JSC has decided to send the report to the judges for response, the commission has stated that the final decision on dismissing the judges will be made after the judges respond to the report.
JSC is also investigating a case where Azmiralda, Judge Mahaz, and former judge Husnu Al Suood presided over a case where former High Court Assistant Registrar Hussain Mohamed Haneef was summoned to the Supreme Court, and Suood spoke using abusive language.
While a case was ongoing at the Supreme Court regarding the constitutional amendment brought using the parliament's supermajority to allow a small committee within the PNC to dismiss members if desired, the Judicial Service Commission held an emergency meeting at the direction of President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu and suspended three Supreme Court justices.
Supreme Court Justices Dr. Azmiralda Zahir, Husnu Al Suood, and Mahaz Ali Zahir were suspended on 26 February 2025, while they were in the courtroom after scheduling a hearing on a case submitted to the court requesting an interim order on the matter of dismissing lawmakers for floor crossing. The three justices were suspended within 10 minutes after JSC held an emergency meeting and made the decision.
Subsequently, on 4 March 2025, Suood resigned, stating that President Muizzu had violated the Constitution of the Republic of Maldives. JSC is now investigating the cases of Judge Mahaz Ali Zahir and Dr. Azmiralda Zahir.
As the Supreme Court currently stands, constitutional cases can only be heard by a full bench comprising all seven justices. After Suood's resignation, Hussain Shaheed was appointed to replace him shortly after. This means that the Supreme Court bench currently consists of five judges.
While the government allegedly plotted to suspend three judges to halt a major constitutional case submitted to the Supreme Court, several lawyers in the Bar Council have also expressed concern about how the Bar Council member in JSC voted.
