Shaheed withdraws candidacy for HC judge ahead of swearing-in

Mohamed Shaheed, a former Deputy Minister at the Ministry of Homeland Security and aligned with the ruling People's National Congress (PNC), has requested the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) to withdraw his appointment as a judge of the High Court.

Shaheed sent a letter to the JSC on Sunday, ahead of the scheduled swearing-in ceremony on Sunday evening. The request comes amid a pending court case seeking to halt his appointment.

Ahmed Naushad, a lawyer with the Prosecutor General's Office and also a candidate for the High Court post, filed a petition in the Civil Court to block Shaheed's swearing-in. The Civil Court has accepted the case while preparations for the ceremony were underway.

In his letter addressed to JSC Chairperson and Maafannu MP Hussain Riza Adam, Shaheed stated that he wished to withdraw his name to uphold public confidence in the judiciary. The letter cited concerns over his recent political involvement, noting that his appointment may affect perceptions of judicial independence and autonomy.

Shaheed previously held the position of Deputy Minister at the Ministry of Home Affairs under the current administration.

Two vacancies in the High Court bench arose following recent appointments to the Supreme Court. These include the appointment of former High Court Chief Justice Hussain Shaheed to replace Husnu Suood, who resigned from the Supreme Court in March. In addition, Mahaz Ali Zahir and Azmiralda Zahir were removed from their posts as Supreme Court judges.

The developments follow the suspension of three Supreme Court judges in February last year in connection with a case concerning an interim injunction over a constitutional amendment that could have led to the disqualification of parliamentarians expelled from their political parties.