Top court says no to second swear in for rejected ministers
Reliable sources have confirmed to Atoll Times that the Chief Justice refused to send judges for the reappointment of ministers that are not approved by Majlis.
The Supreme Court on Monday denied the government’s request to send a judge to conduct the re-swearing-in process for the three members of ministerial cabinet who were rejected by the parliament.
Parliament earlier Monday decided not to approve the ministers:
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Islamic Minister Dr Mohammed Shaheem Ali Saeed
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Housing Minister Dr Ali Haider
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Attorney General Ahmed Usham
The President's Office on Monday tried to re-appoint the three ministers who were not approved by parliament, according to Atoll Times’ sources. The President's Office had asked the Supreme Court to send judges to swear them in for the second time.
Reliable sources have confirmed to Atoll Times that the Chief Justice refused to send judges for the reappointment of ministers that are not approved by Parliament.
Neither the Supreme Court nor the government could be reached for comment.
In 2010, the entire cabinet resigned and some ministers who were reappointed were then rejected by parliament. Despite the rejection, the then President Mohamed Nasheed had decided to let the ministers continue to run their respective portfolios.
However, in a case filed by Ali Waheed, who was a member of parliament at the time, the six judge bench of the Supreme Court agreed that it was not possible to do and their verdict said:
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"We have ruled that if a member of the cabinet is rejected by the People's Majlis, that member can no longer serve as a member of the ministerial cabinet."
