The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) announced on Saturday its decision to recommend former Supreme Court Justice Abdul Ghani Mohamed for the vacant position of Chief Justice.
Following interviews conducted on Saturday, the JSC opted to submit Ghani's name for the prestigious post. Other contenders for the position included Family Court Judge Abdullah Mohamed and former High Court Chief Justice Shujau Usman.
Ghani's judicial career spans since 2000, having served as a Civil Court judge, Chief Justice of the High Court, and later as a Supreme Court justice. He previously held the position of JSC Chairman and currently serves as the President of the Tax Appeal Tribunal.
His previous appointment to the Supreme Court followed the February 1 order, which led to the removal of then-Chief Justices Abdullah Saeed and Ali Hameed Mohamed. During his tenure as a Supreme Court judge, all Supreme Court judges, including Ghani, were dismissed after the 2019 parliamentary elections resulted in an MDP majority.
The appointment of a Chief Justice requires parliamentary approval of a name submitted by the President, based on the JSC's recommendation.
The JSC initiated the review of applications for the Chief Justice post after the retirement of the last incumbent, Ahmed Muthasim Adnan, last month.
This year, the ruling PNC-dominated parliament has appointed three new judges to the Supreme Court: Justice Hussain Shaheed (March 19), and Justices Mohamed Saleem and Abdulla Hameed (March 11). The current bench also includes Justices Aisha Shujoon Mohamed, Ali Rasheed Hussain, and Dr Mohamed Ibrahim.
Following Muthasim's retirement, Justice Hameed temporarily assumed leadership of the court.
The recent appointments to the Supreme Court replace Husnu Al-Suood, Dr. Azmiralda Zahir, and Mahaz Ali Zahir. This change follows the court's suspension of three judges and the dismissal of Azmiralda and Mahaz amidst a review of a constitutional amendment proposed by the current government, which aimed to disqualify lawmakers who changed parties. Suood resigned voluntarily.
The JSC has faced criticism both domestically and internationally for allegedly not providing the affected judges an opportunity to respond. Public concern has also been expressed regarding Muthasim's silence on the matter.