Judiciary Committee grants top marks to Mahaz for Tax Appeal Tribunal nomination

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu’s nomination of Mahaz Ali Zahir, a former Supreme Court Justice, for a vacant position on the Tax Appeal Tribunal has received a favorable assessment from the Parliament's Judiciary Committee.

Two seats on the five-member Tax Appeal Tribunal remain unfilled despite three prior announcements from the President’s Office. President Muizzu submitted seven nominees for the positions, with Mahaz leading the roster currently under review by the Judiciary Committee.

During its session on Tuesday, the Judiciary Committee evaluated the nominees. Five of the seven candidates garnered approval ratings exceeding 75 percent. Mahaz attained the highest score, securing 97 percent.

Other nominees who scored above 75 percent include:

• Ibrahim Afeef - 91 percent

• Shawfa Ibrahim - 83 percent

• Ahmed Yameen - 80 percent

The committee, which holds a majority from the ruling People’s National Congress (PNC), has formally approved these names, and the nominations have now been forwarded to the Parliament for further deliberation.

The Parliament is scheduled to hear the report from the Judiciary Committee during its Wednesday session.

During his interview with the Judiciary Committee on Tuesday, Mahaz articulated his motivation for seeking the tribunal post, despite the body's nearing term conclusion. He expressed an interest in observing the implementation of his prior judicial decisions as a Supreme Court Justice at the lower adjudicative levels.

Mahaz was previously dismissed from the Supreme Court bench on May 14 of the preceding year, following a disciplinary investigation initiated by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC). He had publicly accused Attorney General Ahmed Usham and the PNC government of undue interference in judicial proceedings, a claim that elicited scrutiny and concern from legal observers.