The parliament’s judiciary committee has approved the dismissals of Criminal Court Chief Judge Ahmed Hailam and two magistrates.

The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) made the decision to dismiss the three after disciplinary investigations, at a meeting on Sunday, and forwarded the motions to parliament as per regulations.

Judges can be removed through parliament if found guilty of gross misconduct, and if two-thirds majority of the members present and voting support the resolution.

While the motions forwarded for committee review on Monday, it approved them at a meeting later in the day.

The judiciary committee was tasked with ensuring that the JSC had followed all laws and regulations in making the decision, which all members present at Monday’s meeting agreed to.

The Criminal Court chief judge has been suspended since November 5, after a Victory Day message he had sent to a closed viber group was circulated online.

Hailam’s message to the Criminal Court group shows a cartoon drawing of national hero and Victory Day martyr Corporal Hussain Adam pulling eight figures in chains. These men being dragged in chains include incumbent President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and former President Mohamed Nasheed.

He had apologized for sharing the drawing, claiming that he was not aware that the drawing included Solih or Nasheed.

Following Hailam’s suspension, JSC appointed Judge Ali Rasheed as the court’s interim chief.

In addition to the criminal court judge, JSC decided to remove Magistrates Ghainaan Ali Mohamed (Thulushdoo Court) and Adnan Hussain (Maakurathu Court). The former has also been issued a 60-day suspension.