Suood, Azmiralda and Mahaz suspended ahead of key Supreme Court hearing

The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has suspended three Supreme Court justices; Husnu Al-Suood, Dr. Azmiralda Zahir, and Mahaz Ali Zahir, ahead of the key hearing on an injunction seeking to suspend the controversial anti-defection clauses written into the Constitution in November last year, as the Supreme Court hears a petition lodged with the court challenging the amendment.

A senior official from JSC confirmed the suspension of the three justices to Sun. 

The hearing on the injunction seeking to suspend the controversial anti-defection clauses written into the Constitution was scheduled for 11:00am this morning.

Notably, the Parliament, at 10:00pm, passed the government-backed amendment to the Judicature Act to downsize the Supreme Court bench from seven to five justices.

The amendment as submitted on Sunday night by Holhudhoo MP Abdul Sattar Mohamed – a member of ruling PNC, which holds supermajority in the Parliament.

While 79 MPs were in attendance for the sitting, the bill passed with a majority vote of 68-9.

Supreme Court is currently reviewing a case seeking to dismiss the anti-defection clauses written into the Constitution in November last year, arguing that the amendment violates key provisions of the Constitution, as well as the basic structure doctrine.

The move to submit the bill to reduce the Supreme Court bench followed weekslong allegations by the main opposition MDP that the government is seeking to dismiss some of the members of the top court’s bench to influence a case challenging a contentious amendment to add anti-defection provisions to the Constitution.