Supreme Court to Commence Hearings on Challenge to Impeachment Rules Amendment

The Supreme Court is set to commence hearings on February 25th regarding a petition filed by the Attorney General’s Office challenging an amendment to the Parliament’s standing orders, which reduced the votes necessary to impeach the president and vice president.

The dispute, initiated by the Attorney General’s Office on January 28th, prompted the Supreme Court to issue an injunction on February 8th, suspending the amendment until a final ruling is reached.

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A spokesperson from the Attorney General’s Office informed Sun that the inaugural hearing in the case is slated to commence at 10:45 am on February 25th.

In November, seven lawmakers resigned from Parliament to assume prominent roles in President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu’s administration. Subsequently, the primary opposition party MDP, which commands a parliamentary majority, amended the Parliament’s standing orders. The amendment stipulates that vacated seats are not counted when determining the total number of MPs.

Under the amended rules, the Parliament now requires 54 votes, down from the previous 58, to achieve the two-thirds majority needed for the impeachment of President Muizzu. The combined seats of MDP and Democrats, totalling 56 MPs, provide the opposition with the capability to initiate presidential impeachment proceedings.

Despite the Supreme Court’s injunction, the Parliament has opted to disregard the order. In a recent session, the legislative body passed a motion rejecting the injunction and reaffirmed its commitment to adhere to the amendment.

Prior to the vote, Speaker Mohamed Aslam, who formerly served as the main opposition MDP’s chief lawmaker before assuming the role of Speaker, asserted that the constitution explicitly vests the authority to regulate the functioning of the legislative assembly with the Parliament. Aslam contended that no other state institution or authority, including the Supreme Court, possesses the jurisdiction to dictate the Parliament’s operations.

MDP has issued a warning of its intention to submit a motion for the impeachment of President Muizzu before the conclusion of the current term in May.