JSC has to attend the Committee: Parliament Speaker

Speaker of the Parliament Abdulla Shahid has said that members of the Judicial Service Commission have to attend the Parliament Committee on Independent Institutions. Shahid's statements follow the JSC member's refusal to appear before the committee regarding its review of the manner in which judges were appointed to the bench presiding over the case former President Mohamed Nasheed.

Speaker Shahid’s statements were made on a letter sent to the Chairman of Committee on Independent Institutions MP Mohamed Nasheed, following a letter sent by the President of JSC Adam Mohamed stating that the commission’s members are unable to attend the request to the independent commission’s committee meeting held last night.

Shahid stated that independent institutions have to accountable to the parliament and that the parliament regulations and the country’s Constitution grant the power for permanent Parliament committees to summon and question the commission members in order to obtain the necessary information.

A statement released by the parliament referring to the Speaker’s letter said Speaker Shahid stated that he believes that Article 99 of the Constitution of Maldives and Article 96 of the Parliament regulation grant such the powers to the committees and that under the Constitution of Maldives and the Act 10/2008 (Judicial Service Commission Act) the JSC has to be accountable to the Parliament, and that the commission too must attend the parliament and answer to the relevant permanent committee with regard to the commission’s work.

Speaker Shahid, who is also sits in the JSC has said that he believes that he it is in his responsibilities to the attend the relevant permanent Parliament committees and answer their quarries. He said that he will not hesitate to appear before the committee, to carry out his responsibilities as a member of JSC in his capacity as the Speaker of the Parliament.