Only 5 from PNC MPs favour Supreme Court amendment bill

The ruling People’s National Congress (PNC) Parliamentary Group (PG) held an emergency meeting on Monday to discuss a bill that seeks to reduce the number of Supreme Court judges from seven to five, which would remove two sitting judges. However, only five out of the 75 MPs spoke in favour of the proposal.

During the meeting, a significant number of MPs expressed opposition to the bill. According to members who attended, only a few spoke in favour, while many raised concerns about the timing and implications of the proposed amendment.

Among those who spoke in favour of the bill were:

The first reading of the bill was conducted in parliament earlier in the day.

The proposed amendment would require the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) to submit the names of two judges for removal within five days of the bill’s passage. Given the PNC's parliamentary majority, this could allow for the removal of the judges before the Supreme Court delivers a verdict on an ongoing case regarding a recent constitutional amendment.

The amendment in question, passed late last year, allows for the removal of MPs if they resign from their party, switch to another party, or are expelled. The Supreme Court last week decided to proceed with a case challenging the amendment, raising concerns among some PNC members about the bill’s impact on judicial independence.

“The concern is that the structure of the Supreme Court should not be altered while such a case is pending,” a PNC MP told Atoll Times on condition of anonymity. “The international community is also monitoring this closely, reinforcing the opposition’s claim that the government is influencing the judiciary.”

During the meeting, a vote was requested to gauge support for the bill, but no formal vote was taken. Some members were reportedly hesitant to publicly oppose the proposal.

“At the last minute, Falah asked members if they agreed to follow the government’s decision, which may include withdrawing the bill,” a lawmaker said. “Most members agreed to act as directed by the government.”

Attempts to reach Falah for comment were unsuccessful, as he did not respond to calls. The government has not issued an official statement on the bill, and Attorney General Ahmed Usham could not be reached for comment.