Maldives
The Maldivian Parliament has referred an amendment to the Judicature Act, proposing a reduction of the Supreme Court bench from seven to five justices, to the Judiciary Committee for further examination. This decision follows President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu's return of the bill for reconsideration, citing concerns over the lack of specified mechanisms for evaluating judicial competence in disciplinary cases. The Judiciary Committee will now undertake a detailed review to address these gaps.
On February 26, the Parliament passed an amendment to reduce the number of Supreme Court judges from seven to five. Shortly thereafter, three top judges were suspended, prompting allegations from the main opposition of misuse of the ruling party's majority. The suspensions occurred just before a hearing on a petition to quash a constitutional amendment disqualifying MPs for changing political parties.
Former Supreme Court Judge Husnu Suood, who resigned after being suspended, has submitted the case to international bodies, including the United Nations Human Rights Commissioner, the European Union, and the Commonwealth. Suood appeals for intervention to uphold judicial independence in the Maldives and to call on the government to recall measures taken against judges.
During the debate, ruling People's National Congress (PNC) lawmakers defended the bill's alignment with judicial reforms, while opposition members reiterated their reservations. Ultimately, the motion to refer the bill to the Judiciary Committee was passed with 50 votes in favor and seven opposed.
The Judiciary Committee will conduct a detailed review of the legislation to address the identified gaps, ensuring that mechanisms for evaluating judicial competence in disciplinary cases are clearly specified.
