Delay in JSC composition: Pointing fingers, controversy
MDP MP Ibrahim Shareef accused The Democrats of obstructing judicial reform.
By
Mariyam Umna Ismail
MPs traded accusations over the proposed amendments to the composition of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC). Meanwhile, members belonging to the government have accused members of some opposition parties of deliberately obstructing "the efforts to free the judiciary".
Members representing parties began to question the sincerity of each other in Wednesday's session when MDP MP Ibrahim Shareef accused The Democrats of obstructing the process of free the judiciary.
He made the allegation after Henveiru West Democrats MP Hassan Latheef raised a systemic issue and said that no other law could be amended without amending the Constitution.
The JSC Act Amendment Bill was being debated at the time. The amendment was proposed by the Government:
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To fix the number of members of the JSC as seven
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Under the amendment, the President's Member, the Speaker of Parliament and the Chairman of the Civil Service Commission will not be members of the JSC
The chair clarified the date on which the government proposed to amend the Constitution and the Commission Act to change the composition of the JSC.
The two bills were introduced on June 19, Deputy Speaker Eva Abdullah said. Although it was not specifically stated that the two bills should be moved together, Eva gave Shareef the opportunity to move the bills together.
Shareef accused The Democrats of obstructing judicial reform.
With that, citing a systemic issue, Hassan said the JSC Act could be amended even after the Constitution is amended. If it were done otherwise, the JSC Act would be unconstitutional, he said.
"So, I don't think, honourable Speaker, this is not even an attempt to delay it. MDP has the majority and can do whatever it wants today," Hassan said.
Responding to Hassan, Shareef said it was worrying that the first reading of a bill introduced in June was heard last month and the debate started Wednesday. He accused the founder of The Democrats, Nasheed, and his party members of causing the delay.
"It is important to understand that the Speaker of this Majls is not going to reform the judiciary, that the party he belongs to is meddling with the judiciary day and night, saying that the government is misleading the people and confusing the people, but even if they are not brought for discussion on the floor of this parliament, it is important to understand that the government's regime is still here," Shareef said.
Democrats MP Imthiyaz Fahumy said the government had proposed the amendment without any sincerity. According to him:
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The amendment was not proposed in the MDP manifesto
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He accused the amendment of being targeted at certain groups
"What did we say at that time? The politicians present there did not even mention any more people, but the amendment to ensure that politicians do not stay within that composition is well written in the manifesto. But is that how it is today that it is almost after the completion of five years of the amendment," Imthiyaz said.
“While in power, this amendment has been introduced. There was no hope or thought that the government would change in the last few days This has been done to enable them to stay in the Judicial Service Commission”.
Debating the bill, PNC MP Adam Shareef said the MDP, which has a majority in parliament, has always held sessions late at night to get things done for them. He said:
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It is very irresponsible to blame other parties for JSC reform
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The MDP advocated judicial reform, but the party took advantage of the law after coming to power, and that work was not done.
"Now that we have spoken about this, the people of the country will know very well that it was the MDP that has done these things in such a way that it does not produce results as there is a super majority in this parliament and the entire parliament has been ruined," he said.
