President nominates Shaheed for Supreme Court appointment
The vacancy in the Supreme Court arose on 4 March after the resignation of Husnu Suood.
President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has nominated Chief Justice of the High Court Hussain Shaheed for appointment as a justice of the Supreme Court.
The nomination was submitted to parliament on Monday.
The vacancy in the Supreme Court arose on 4 March after the resignation of Husnu Suood. Three candidates applied for the position:
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Former Deputy Prosecutor General Mariyam Nihaayath
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High Court Chief Justice Hussain Shaheed
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Lawyer Rusdullah Ibrahim
The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) recommended Shaheed for the appointment, and the president forwarded his name to parliament. The agenda for Tuesday's parliamentary sitting includes an announcement regarding the referral of Shaheed’s nomination to the Judiciary Committee for review.
Shaheed has served as a High Court judge for over seven years. His previous appointments include:
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Sworn in as a High Court judge on 24 July 2018
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Temporarily assigned as Acting Chief Justice of the High Court on 18 November 2022
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Appointed as Chief Justice of the High Court on 30 October 2023
He has also held positions as:
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Magistrate of Feydhoo Magistrate Court, Addu
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Chief Magistrate of N. Holhudhoo Magistrate Court
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Judge of the Criminal Court
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Assistant Legal Officer at the Criminal Court
Shaheed obtained his higher education in Sharia and law from Al-Azhar University and Kuliyat al-Dirasat al-Islamiyya in Egypt. He also holds a Master’s degree in Islamic Judicial Science and Sharia Policy from the Islamic University of Maldives.
Under the Judiciary Act, the procedure for appointing a Supreme Court justice involves:
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The JSC shortlisting candidates and submitting names to the president.
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The President forwarding the selected nominee(s) to parliament.
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Parliamentary approval of the nominee.
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The President formally appointing the nominee within seven days of approval.
The President retains the discretion to submit any candidate he deems fit for the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court vacancy follows the suspension of two justices. The JSC is investigating Justice Mahaz Ali Zahir and Justice Azmiralda Zahir for alleged misconduct. The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) is also conducting a corruption investigation related to the matter.
The decision to hear the cases against these judges, including those filed under the previous JSC, was suspended at a time when the Supreme Court was preparing to hear an interim order related to parliamentary seat loss due to party expulsion. The suspension has halted proceedings on this matter for the time being.
Following these suspensions, four justices currently remain active in the Supreme Court. The Courts Act requires at least five justices to preside over constitutional cases.
