Nominations open for 2 Supreme Court seats after dismissals

The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) on Saturday announced that nominations for two vacant seats on the Supreme Court bench are now open.

Applications will be accepted until 12 noon on Thursday.

According to the JSC, candidates may submit their applications via the commission’s Fahires portal and also provide hard copies as required.

The process for appointing Supreme Court judges is outlined in the Judiciary Act. Candidates will be interviewed by the JSC, which will then send its selected name or names to the President. Following submission to Parliament and approval, the President must make the appointment within seven days. Alternatively, the President may propose names to the JSC for consideration.

The vacancies follow the dismissal of two judges — Justice Azmiralda Zahir and Justice Mahaz Ali Zahir — after the JSC found them guilty of misconduct. The findings were endorsed by a parliamentary vote on Wednesday.

The decision to dismiss the judges has been subject to criticism from the parliamentary secretary general and members of the legal community.

Earlier in February, three judges — including former Justice Husnu Suood — were suspended. Suood later resigned, citing alleged government interference in the judiciary, an allegation that has been denied by the government.

Additionally, three judges were suspended indefinitely ahead of a scheduled Supreme Court hearing on a case involving amendments to the Constitution related to parliamentary seat loss. The case has since stalled.

Following Suood's resignation, then Chief Justice of the High Court, Hussain Shaheed, was appointed to the Supreme Court in April.