High Court orders stay on ruling annulling dismissal of top police officers

The High Court has issued an injunction to suspend the implementation of the ruling by the Civil Court annulling the decision by the Police Board to terminate five top police officials.

The Police Board made the decision to dismiss the five police officials on October 10, 2022. The five officials won the lawsuit contesting the Board’s decision on December 21, 2022.

The ruling was appealed by the state with the High Court, which has issued an injunction suspending the implementation of the ruling until the court makes a decision in the case.

The board made the decision to dismiss seven top police officials. They are:

• Superintendent Mohamed Dawood
• Assistant Commissioner Farhad Fikury
• Chief Superintendent Ahmed Shuhad
• Assistant Commissioner Mohamed Jamsheed
• Assistant Commissioner Ahmed Mohamed
• Superintendent Ismail Shameem
• Chief Superintendent Abdulla Shareef

All, except for Farhad and Shuhad, contested the decision with the Civil Court, citing lack of opportunity to defend themselves and lack of authority of the Police Board to dismiss officers.

After closed hearings, the Civil Court found the Police Board did not have the authority to dismiss police officers, and that the termination notice sent to some of the officers was in violation of Article 3 of the Police Service Act.