The Judiciary Committee of the People's Majlis has approved the appointment of Mohamed Saleem and Abdulla Hameed to the Supreme Court of the Maldives, as preferred by President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu.

The Supreme Court judge positions became vacant after the People's Majlis voted to remove former judges Dr. Azmiralda Zahir and Mahaz Ali Zahir from their positions.

When applications were opened for the Supreme Court positions, 12 individuals applied. Saleem and Hameed scored highest in interviews conducted by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC). Subsequently, JSC recommended the president to appoint the two individuals to the Supreme Court.

In the Judiciary Committee meeting held on Wednesday, the appointment of Saleem and Hameed to the Supreme Court was approved. The decision was made unanimously by the members present at the Wednesday morning’s meeting of the Judiciary Committee.

Saleem, who has been approved by the committee for appointment to the Supreme Court, is currently a judge at the High Court of the Maldives. Regarding Judge Saleem's qualifications for the Supreme Court position, there was extensive debate at the JSC, which ultimately decided that having a lawyer's license for seven years would fulfill the requirement.

In addition to this, Hameed, who has also been approved by the committee, previously served as the Chief Judge of the High Court. While JSC was investigating a case related to Hameed, the People's Majlis in 2022 voted to remove him from his judgeship. This was in connection with the case of accepting apartments given to judges during former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom's administration.

Presently, there are five judges in the Supreme Court; Chief Justice Ahmed Muthasim Adnan, Justice Aisha Shujoon Mohamed, Justice Ali Rasheed Hussain, Justice Dr. Mohamed Ibrahim, and Justice Hussain Shaheed. Shaheed was appointed to the Supreme Court by the current administration, following the resignation of Justice Husnu Al Suood.

Justice Suood resigned from his position shortly after being abruptly suspended by JSC, just as the Supreme Court was about to begin hearing a constitutional case. Suood resigned in protest, citing undue influence on the judiciary by President Muizzu and the government.