Committee reviews report on dismissal of SC judges
On Monday, the case of dismissing Supreme Court Justices Azmiralda and Mahaz was sent to the Judiciary Committee
A meeting of the parliament's judiciary committee
The Judiciary Committee has concluded, stating that more time is needed to further study the report on the case of dismissing Supreme Court Justices Dr. Azmiralda Zahir and Mahaz Ali Zahir from their positions.
On Monday, the case of dismissing Supreme Court Justices Azmiralda and Mahaz was sent to the Judiciary Committee. In the sitting, two letters sent by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) recommending the dismissal of the two judges were read separately. The decision on the matter will be made by a vote on the parliament floor after the committee conducts its study.
Many members have stated that additional time is needed to study the report on the case. Therefore, the committee has decided to allow the time.
Although two proposals were presented to the committee, the committee passed the proposal submitted by MP for Faresmaathodaa constituency Ashraf Rasheed. This was to first study the documents related to this case by the Judiciary Committee and then decide whether any parties need to be summoned to the committee.
In addition to this, MP for South Hithadhoo constituency Ibrahim Nazil proposed to summon JSC's investigation committee to determine if any procedural violations occurred in JSC's decision to dismiss the judges.
Regarding the case, MP for Kendhoo constituency Mauroof Zakir said that the report on dismissing the judges is big, and while studying the case, he wants to summon the parties involved in the case to the committee. MP Mauroof requested that the committee's work be conducted live for the public to see. He said this was to maintain integrity and save time.
JSC passed the decision to recommend dismissing Azmiralda and Mahaz from their judicial positions on Sunday, 4 May 2025.
The JSC committee that looked into the case includes Ali Abdul Latheef, the elected member from among legal practitioners, Mohamed Nasih, President of the Civil Service Commission, and Yazmeed Mohamed, the president's member.
JSC's investigation team decided to dismiss Azmiralda and Ali Mahaz from their judicial positions at the JSC meeting held on the night of April 17. The committee reached the decision based on the final investigation report they compiled regarding the case alleging that Azmiralda and Mahaz influenced a detention order for Azmiralda’s husband, Ismail Latheef, according to information received.
While JSC has decided to send the report to the judges for their response, the commission has stated that they will make a final decision on dismissing the judges after the judges respond to the report. However, even while the case was being investigated, no defensive evidence submitted by Azmiralda was accepted. In concluding the case, no evidence submitted by Azmiralda was considered.
According to information received, the president has instructed the investigating committee to dismiss Azmiralda in any way possible. The work of the JSC's investigation committee proceeded directly under the president's guidance. No one has even given a statement against Azmiralda and Mahaz to the committee.
Supreme Court Justices Azmiralda, Husnu Suood, and Mahaz were suspended while they were in the courtroom after scheduling a hearing for a case submitted to the court requesting an interim order in the case of dismissing parliamentarians for floor crossing. The three judges were suspended after JSC held an emergency meeting and made a decision within 10 minutes on February 26.
Subsequently, on March 4, Husnu Suood resigned, stating that President Muizzu had violated the Constitution of the Republic of Maldives.
As the Supreme Court currently stands, a constitutional case can only be heard by a bench comprising all the court's judges. After Suood's resignation, Hussain Shaheed has been appointed to replace him. Therefore, there are now five judges in the court.
While the government allegedly plotted to suspend three judges to prevent a major constitutional case submitted to the Supreme Court, many lawyers included in the Bar Council have also expressed concern regarding how the Bar Council member in the JSC voted.
