Honourable thing for Fahmy to do would be to resign: Thasmeen

Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) Leader Ahmed Thasmeen Ali has said that although the Supreme Court has reinstated Civil Service Commission (CSC) President Mohamed Fahmy Hassan, the honourable thing for him to do would be to resign.

DRP presidential candidate and MP for Kendhoo constituency Ahmed Thasmeen Ali said in a tweet he made today that the Parliament and the civil servants have lost confidence in Fahmy and that it would be in the best interest of the nation for him to resign.

Allegations were made against Fahmy of touching a female Civil Service Commission employee on the belly and saying: “it is not appealing when unmarried girls like you get fat.” Amongst sexual misconduct allegation, the Parliament had voted, including members from Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), DRP and independent candidates, to remove Fahmy from office.

Thasmeen told Sun that he respects the Supreme Court decision but said that the ruling brings a number of complications. He said that if a person carrying allegations of criminal offence is allowed to stay in office until such allegations are proven in court, it may have undesirable consequences. He said that Fahmy should leave office and step down as a show of respect to the civil servants.

With regard to the issue, MDP Parliamentary Group Leader and Hinnavaru MP Ibrahim Mohamed Solih (Ibu) said that it is the Parliament's prerogative to appoint and remove members from independent commissions of the state.

He also said that the Constitution clearly states that a decision made by the Parliament cannot be contested in a court of law, and that nobody has to the legal right to change the Parliament's decision to remove Fahmy from office.

“I don’t believe that Fahmy can be reinstated. We will lobby for this in Parliament. We will request to continue the process to appoint another person to the office,” said Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.

Fahmy’s lawyer Mohamed Waheed Ibrahim (lawyer wadde’) told Sun yesterday that Article 145 (c) of the Constitution states the Supreme Court as the final authority on the interpretation of the Constitution and other matters dealt with by a court of law and that Parliament too shall respect the Supreme Court decision.

Fahmy has resumed office today following the Supreme Court decision, but has refused to share any comments with the media.