The ruling People’s National Congress (PNC) used its commanding parliamentary majority today to dismiss a resolution demanding accountability from the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) over the removal of two Supreme Court justices, shutting down the motion without floor debate.
The rejection marks the first high-profile applications of a controversial procedural overhaul adopted by the People’s Majlis on October 27, which ended the automatic right to debate private members’ resolutions.
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The resolution, introduced by Galolhu Uthuru MP Mohamed Ibrahim, called on parliament to summon and hold JSC members accountable for orchestrating the May 2025 dismissals of Supreme Court Justices Dr. Azmiralda Zahir and Mahaaz Ali Zahir.
The motion argued that the dismissals were politically engineered and legally baseless, citing the Prosecutor General’s Office’s decision on September 30 to close criminal inquiries against both justices due to a total lack of substantiating evidence.
Both judges were removed from the apex court on May 14, 2025, after 68 lawmakers voted in favor of an impeachment motion based on JSC recommendations alleging unlawful judicial influence.
“Given that the Judicial Service Commission removed justices of the country’s highest court based solely on unproven accusations, under circumstances where it has now been established no criminal offense occurred the JSC must bear responsibility and be held directly accountable,” the resolution asserted.
However, lawmakers rejected the resolution by a 28–7 party-line vote, voiding the motion immediately before any discussion could occur on the chamber floor.
The abrupt dismissal was enabled by amendments to Article 191 of the Majlis Standing Orders, passed on October 27 by a 56–11 vote. Sponsored by independent MP for Thulhaadhoo constituency Abdul Hannan Aboobakur and endorsed by the General Purpose Committee, the new rule mandates an immediate floor ballot on whether to accept a resolution before any preliminary debate can take place.
If the preliminary vote fails, the motion is quashed instantly.
During the October 27 debate on the rule change, MP Mohamed Ibrahim had introduced an unsuccessful counter-amendment to preserve automatic debate, cautioning against stifling parliamentary deliberation. That proposal was defeated 55–11.
Opposition lawmakers and critics maintain that the amended Standing Orders have established a procedural barrier designed to shield state institutions and the executive branch from scrutiny, enabling the supermajority to kill sensitive motions before they can be aired publicly on live parliamentary broadcasts.
