Bill to cut SC bench sent back to committee for further review
Following the passage of the bill, the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) suspended three Supreme Court judges on the same day.
A bill seeking to remove two Supreme Court judges and reduce the bench from seven to five has been sent back to the committee for further consideration after President Mohamed Muizzu returned it to parliament without ratification.
Attorney General Ahmed Usham advised that the bill was unconstitutional, leading to the president’s decision not to approve it last week. As a result, Monday's parliamentary sitting was scheduled to determine the next steps.
During the session, ruling People’s National Congress (PNC) parliamentary group leader Ibrahim Falaah proposed that the bill be referred back to the committee for further review. The motion was passed with 50 votes in favour, while seven members voted against it.
The PNC parliamentary group also issued a three-line whip to pass the bill independently and warned of action against members who violated it. The bill has drawn concern from legal professionals, the Bar Council, and the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).
The bill was passed without consideration of the advice provided by Parliamentary Counsel General Fathimath Filza. In protest, MDP members raised objections during Monday's sitting.
Following the passage of the bill, the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) suspended three Supreme Court judges on the same day. As a result, the Supreme Court’s review of the constitutional amendment that could lead to MPs losing their seats if expelled from their parties has been put on hold. The case was being heard by a full bench of seven judges.
