While President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has ratified the amendment passed by the People’s Majlis to revert the Supreme Court’s bench to a seven-member body, his office has said that they are yet to be informed of a deadline to appoint the additional justices.

The country’s top court currently has five justices, with one under suspension by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) over an ongoing investigation against him. They are; Chief Justice Ahmed Abdulla Didi and Justices Abdulla Areef, Adam Mohamed Abdulla, Abdul Ghani Mohamed and suspended Justice Abdulla Didi.

People’s Majlis passed the amendment on July 17, and President Solih had ratified it on July 23.

Noting that they are yet to be informed of a deadline to nominate justices to the parliament, Chief Communications Strategist at the President’s Office Ibrahim Hood said that the matter will be publicized as soon as they are informed.

Article 148 (a) of the Constitution reads, “the President as the Head of State shall appoint the Judges of the Supreme Court, after consulting the Judicial Service Commission and confirmation of the appointees by a majority of the member of the People’s Majlis present and voting.”

While all necessary work to increase the Supreme Court justices from five to seven has been completed, West-Henveiru constituency MP Hassan Latheef had noted that doing so would mean an expenditure of MVR 7.9 million per year. While the chief justice’s salary is MVR 73,125 per month, the salary of the remaining justices is MVR 70,000. In addition, they each get an MVR 12,500 medical insurance as well as a private car.

The Constitution states that the Supreme Court “shall consist of an uneven number of Judges” while the Judicature Act states that “the Supreme Court of Maldives shall consist of a total of seven judges, including chief justice and six additional judges appointed to the court.”

However, this was reduced to five in 2014 by the previous administration.