While a Judicial Service Commission (JSC) report shows that there is a total of 1,910 trials pending trials at the Criminal Court, the People’s Majlis has passed to forward the report to its judiciary committee for further review.

JSC formed a three-member sub committee to investigate and compile a report into the delays in court proceedings back in June to assess the court’s current situation; this committee concluded its investigation and submitted its report to JSC on Monday.

Speaker and former President Mohamed Nasheed, read out JSC’s report at Tuesday’s sitting.

As such, it notes that cases pending at the Criminal Court include; 12 cases over 10 years old; 126 cases over five years; 181 cases submitted since the enactment of the Criminal Procedure Act.

The report further noted that all these cases have been appointed to individual judges; over 300 cases are to have been given to one judge.

39 lawmakers voted to forward the report to the judiciary committee, which was proposed by Addu-Meedhoo constituency MP Rozaina Adam. Kanditheemu constituency MP Abdulla Shaheem endorsed the proposal.

In addition, Central-Henveiru constituency MP Ali Azim made an additional proposal, seeking for the judiciary committee to assist JSC in expediting trials.

Prior to this, Hulhudhoo constituency MP Ilyas Labeeb proposed for the committee to takeover the work in order to ensure that the commission reaches its target.

Following Azim’s proposal, the Holhudhoo constituency MP withdrew his own and instead decided to endorse the former’s pitch; 65 MPs voted in favour of this.

JSC is investigating delays in trials at all courts, following a number of complaints from the public over the matter.