Hulhumale’ Court closes for ‘non-essential’ hearings amid renovation

The Hulhumale’ Magistrate Court has announced that hearings at the court will be limited to essential proceedings up towards the end of next week.

In a statement on Wednesday, the court announced that it will be carrying out renovation works from Thursday to Wednesday next week.

All hearings, except for essential ones, will be suspended during this time, said the court.

Established in 2012, the Hulhumale’ Magistrate Court has been embroiled in a dispute over its legitimacy, with the Judicature Act stating that Male’ will have superior courts, while any island outside of Male’ will have magistrate courts, and the Constitution establishing Hulhumale’ and Vilimale’ as districts of Male’.

In 2022, the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) announced it had initiated efforts to dissolve the court, while then-Attorney General Ibrahim Riffath announced that his office was working on drafting legislative changes towards that front.

However, the court remains in place, to date.