Supreme Court of the Maldives has released an order nullifying all orders that are made against the court.

The order released on Monday reads that as per article 7 of the Maldives Constitution, the judicial power is vested in the courts of the Maldives which are the Supreme Court, High Court and such Trial Courts as established by law.

Article 141(b) also stated that the “Supreme Court shall be the highest authority for the administration of justice in the Maldives and the Chief Justice shall be the highest authority on the Supreme Court. All matters adjudicated before the Supreme Court shall be decided upon by a majority of the judges sitting together in session”. Further, no officials performing public functions or any other persons shall “interfere” with or influence the functions of the courts.

In this regard, the court order states that the decision by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) on 13 June to suspend Supreme Court Justice Abdulla Didi goes against the legal powers vested on the Supreme Court. It condemned JSC’s decision to uphold its initial decision, calling it unlawful and out of their jurisdiction.

As such, all decisions made by the commission or any other body against the court will be considered invalid and so are the decisions made by the People’s Majlis and its committees in regards to such decisions.

Parliament’s judiciary committee on Monday voted in favor of JSC’s suspension of Justice Didi, following which a report will be forwarded to the parliament floor.

The committee report states that JSC’s decision was lawful and within its jurisdiction, and calls on the Supreme Court not to meddle in the case.

JSC’s decision to suspend the Supreme Court justice is in relation to the case filed by Nasheed. The former president had earlier this month submitted a complaint at the Commission, claiming that Supreme Court Justice Abdulla Didi accepted a bribe of USD one million to sentence him to prison. Nasheed was sentenced to 13 years, over terror charges, in March 2015.

Abdulla Didi was promoted to the High Court in June 2015 and then to the Supreme Court on June 28, 2018.