Change to Judiciary Committee amid review of removal of top court justices

A change has been made to the Parliament’s Judiciary Committee as the Committee reviews the dismissal two Supreme Court justices as recommended by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC).

JSC suspended three Supreme Court justices on February 26^th – Husnu Al-Suood, Dr. Azmiralda Zahir and Mahaz Ali Zahir – citing criminal investigations against them by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). Suood subsequently resigned on March 4^th as JSC investigated disciplinary cases against the three justices.

The Commission, on Sunday, said its Disciplinary Committee found both Azmiralda and Mahaz guilty of influencing Criminal Court judges and, as such, recommended their dismissal to the Parliament.

The matter was forwarded to the Judiciary Committee for review on Monday.

The Committee meeting scheduled for Tuesday had the matter on agenda. After two unsuccessful attempts to hold the meeting, it was ultimately cancelled.

A Committee member who spoke to Sun said the meeting had to be cancelled as the Parliament has yet to receive some related documents from JSC.

A change to the composition of the Judiciary Committee was announced at Wednesday’s parliamentary sitting. In this regard, ruling PNC’s North Feydhoo MP Ismail Nizar was dismissed from the Committee and replaced by Kolamaafushi MP Ibrahim Didi, another ruling party lawmaker.

While the Judiciary Committee comprises of 11 members, nine of them are ruling PNC lawmakers. They are:

1. Committee’s chairperson Manadhoo MP Husnee Mubarik (PNC)
2. Committee’s vice chairperson Huraa MP Dr. Anara Naeem (PNC)
3. Holhudhoo MP Abdul Sattar Mohamed (PNC)
4. Kurendhoo MP Mohamed Shamin Habeeb (PNC)
5. Thimarafushi MP Ahmed Riyaz (PNC)
6. Hulhudhoo MP Mohamed Shahid (PNC)
7. Faresmaathoda MP Ashraf Rasheed (PNC)
8. Maduvvari MP Ahmed Zahir (PNC)
9. Kolamaafushi MP Ibrahim Didi (PNC)
10. Kendhoo MP Mauroof Zakir (MDP)
11. South Hithadhoo MP Ibrahim Nazil (MDP)

Three out of the seven Supreme Court justices were suspended as the court reviewed a case challenging a contentious amendment to the Constitution that added anti-defection clauses. The controversial amendment added three more circumstances where parliamentarians will lose their seat, including if they are expelled from their political party.

On the same day the justices were suspended, a ruling PNC-dominated Parliament passed a contentious amendment to the Judicature Act to downsize the Supreme Court bench from seven to five justices. However, President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has sent the bill back to Parliament for reconsideration. The Parliament has again sent the bill to Judiciary Committee for amendments despite calls from the opposition as well as from within PNC itself to reject the bill.

Both Azmiralda and Suood have accused President Muizzu of influencing the judiciary – an allegation denied by the President during a press conference on Saturday.