Judiciary Committee Approves Hameed and Saleem for Supreme Court

The Judiciary Committee of the People’s Majlis has approved the nominations of Mohamed Saleem and Abdulla Hameed for appointment to the Supreme Court and forwarded their names to the floor for a final vote.

The nominations were submitted by President Dr Mohamed Muizzu following the dismissal of Justices Azmiralda Zahir and Mahaz Ali Zahir last month. During Monday’s Majlis sitting, the President’s letter nominating the two candidates was officially announced, and the matter was referred to the Judiciary Committee for review.

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Although the committee convened the same day, it initially decided to delay the vote to allow time for members to review the candidates. Opposition MDP members had pushed for an immediate vote, noting that swift action had been taken in previous cases involving the removal of judges.

At a subsequent meeting held yesterday, Holhudhoo MP Abdul Sattar Mohamed of the ruling People’s National Congress (PNC) proposed that both Saleem and Hameed were competent and suitable to serve on the Supreme Court. The proposal received unanimous backing from committee members, resulting in the decision to send the names to the Majlis floor for approval.

The vacancies on the Supreme Court were opened on 17 May after the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) concluded that Justices Azmiralda and Mahaz had interfered in a criminal case involving Azmiralda’s husband. The JSC found that Mahaz had contacted a Criminal Court judge in relation to the matter. Both judges have strongly denied the allegations.

A total of 12 individuals applied for the Supreme Court posts. Following interviews and evaluations, the JSC awarded the highest scores to Mohamed Saleem and Abdulla Hameed.

Judge Saleem, currently serving on the High Court since 2022, previously worked as a legal officer at the same court for 12 years. His eligibility had been debated within the JSC, particularly regarding whether he met the constitutional requirement of at least seven years of experience as a judge or practising lawyer. The JSC ultimately ruled that he was qualified under Article 149(c) of the Constitution.

Abdulla Hameed previously served on the High Court from 2007 until his dismissal in June 2022. His removal followed a JSC finding that he had accepted government flats from the administration of former President Abdulla Yameen and allegedly granted favourable rulings in return. Hameed has denied any wrongdoing.

Under the Constitution, the JSC advises the President on judicial appointments, and the President’s nominees must be approved by the Majlis.

Parliament is currently on break for the Eid holidays and is expected to resume sessions after next Monday.