The Parliament's Judiciary Committee has decided to further investigate allegations against the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) that it has been unfair in its probe into accusations against Supreme Court judge Dr Azmiralda Zahir.
This is in response to a complaint filed with the parliament by Dr Azmiralda. In her complaint, she accused JSC of violating her basic rights and implementing procedures unfairly, calling for an investigation into the three JSC members overseeing her case.
Azmiralda's letter was heard at Monday's meeting of the Judiciary Committee. However, the livestream was suspended while the letter was being read. Huraa MP Anara Naeem moved to keep the committee's meeting confidential, saying the letter contained personal information. The motion was not approved.
Kendhoo MP Mauroof Zakir then moved to further investigate the matter. Central Fuvahmulah MP Ali Fazad supported the motion and presented investigative measures that would be implemented in the case. He proposed to obtain written accounts of the investigation as well as standard operating procedures (SOP)s adopted by the commission, as well as summon any necessary personnel to the committee.
MP Fazad's motion was passed unanimously by the members present in the committee.
The JSC is currently investigating two cases against Azmiralda. In one case, she is alleged to have been present when former Supreme Court Justice Husnu Suood berated the High Court's Assistant Registrar Hussain Mohamed Haneef after summoning him to the Supreme Court. The second complaint was lodged by a private citizen, who claimed that Azmiralda called a Criminal Court judge and tried to influence them.
In these cases, JSC summoned the judges alleged to have been involved and got their statements at the time. In the meantime, Dr Azmiralda and another Supreme Court judge Mahaz Ali Zahir remain suspended.
As the case is set to continue via the Parliament, Dr Azmiralda has also filed the complaint with UN Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers. The case was also escalated to the attention of various embassies and high commissions.
Husnu Suood, following his resignation, also submitted a complaint regarding the suspension of the three justices to the UN's Human Right's Commissioner as well as a European Union and the Common Wealth.
The suspension of three Supreme Court judges, Dr Azmiralda, Suood and Mahaz Ali Zahir, came just shortly after the Parliament passed an amendment to the Judicature Act to reduce the Supreme Court bench from seven to five. The timing also coincided with the Supreme Court scheduling to reconvene a petition against a constitutional amendment.