The People's Majlis has rejected a resolution calling for the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) to be held accountable for the dismissal of Supreme Court justices without legal basis, denying the motion the opportunity for floor debate.
The resolution was submitted by Galolhu North MP Mohamed Ibrahim (Kudoo). It asserts that the decision by Prosecutor General (PG) Abbas Shareef not to press charges—citing a lack of evidence to prove any allegations against the dismissed judges—demonstrates that their removal from the bench was entirely baseless.
The resolution called for the members of the JSC to be held accountable for the matter.
The resolution was thrown out of parliament, with 28 members of the ruling People's National Congress (PNC) voting against it. Only seven members voted in favour of accepting the resolution for debate.
MP Ibrahim Mohamed submitted the resolution following the PG Office's decision on September 30 to decline criminal prosecution. The PG Office stated that, more than a year after the dismissal of Justice Azmiralda Zahir and Justice Mahaz Ali Zahir, an investigation into the evidence and circumstances revealed no grounds to believe a criminal offence had been committed.
Referencing the PG Office’s decision, the resolution stated that "it has become evident that these judges were removed from their posts based on unsubstantiated allegations."
Emphasising that the JSC must take responsibility for such a significant decision, the resolution further noted: "Given that the Judicial Service Commission removed justices of the highest court in the Maldives based solely on allegations where no criminal conduct could be established, the Commission must bear responsibility and be held accountable for this action."
Justices Azmiralda Zahir and Mahaz Ali Zahir were removed from office on May 14, 2025, following a recommendation by the JSC and a parliamentary vote of 68 members, over allegations of undue influence.
However, following an investigation by the police initiated by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), the PG Office decided on September 30, 2026, to decline charges and file the case away, citing a lack of evidence of criminal wrongdoing.
The JSC had suspended Justices Azmiralda, Mahaz, and Husnu Al Suood just moments before a scheduled hearing was to begin regarding a case filed by former Kendhoo MP Ali Hussain. That case sought to nullify a constitutional amendment concerning the disqualification of parliamentarians.
In the wake of the investigation, Justice Suood resigned from the bench after alleging that President Mohamed Muizzu and the Attorney General (AG) had attempted to influence the judiciary. The JSC proceeded with the cases against Justices Azmiralda and Mahaz, leading to their dismissal by Parliament.
Under Article 22(a) of the Judges Act of the Maldives, no judge may be removed from office as long as they operate within the code of conduct and standards they must follow. Furthermore, Article 22(b) stipulates that a judge may be removed only if the JSC finds them incompetent or guilty of gross misconduct and a two-thirds majority of those present and voting in parliament subsequently approves the dismissal.
