Chief Justice: Powers of the State must learn from past troubles

Chief Justice Ahmed Muthasim Adnan, on Tuesday, said the powers of the State must learn lessons from the different troubling events which have taken place in the past and had a responsibility to prevent such incidents from repeating.

He made the remark in his speech at the inauguration of the judicial year 2020 on Tuesday night.

The Chief Justice stressed that the responsibility of upholding the rule of law lay not just with the courts, but with the government, independent institutions, security services, local councils, the members of the Bar Council, and also, ordinary citizens.

Failure to uphold the rule of law will result in certain collapse of the unity within the Maldivian community, he warned.

He stressed on the need for the powers of the State to learn lessons from past troubles, and ensure it doesn’t happen again.

“An environment where the powers of the State of Maldives can work respectably has been established. It is the responsibility of the powers of the State to learn lessons from the different troubling events which have taken place in the past, and work to ensure it doesn’t happen again,” he said.

The Chief Justice, in his speech, provided assurance the local judiciary would uphold the Constitution.

“I assure you, the Maldivian judiciary will uphold the Constitution. The judiciary will remain free of any and all influences, and committed to ascertaining constitutional rights. Armed with the knowledge that justice is a power which perseveres without blowing in the wind, a just judiciary will prevail,” he said.

“We know well that that the responsibility of establishing justice is a burden far weightier than this world. We know we will be asked about how we executed this duty. And we also know that judges must our duty without any discrimination,” he added.

The Chief Justice also talked about his plans to reform the Supreme Court, and announced that the court had begun publicizing audio recordings of its hearings.

He said that the court planned on livestreaming hearings, if they were able to get the budget, and were making arrangements to open all hearings which the court isn’t required to keep closed by law.

The Supreme Court has also declared the first Thursday of each month as an open day at the court, allowing the public the opportunity to enjoy guided tours.

The first open day is scheduled for March 5.