Chief Justice says new magistrate court regulations end 18-year regulatory vacuum

Chief Justice Abdul Ghani Mohamed speaks at the opening ceremony of the Judicial Conference 2026.

Chief Justice Abdul Ghanee Mohamed says the introduction of new regulations for magistrate courts marks one of the most significant achievements for the judiciary in nearly two decades.

He made the remarks at the closing ceremony of the training programme held in L. Fonadhoo to familiarise judges and court staff with the new Magistrate Courts Regulations.

The Chief Justice noted that when the current Constitution came into force in 2008, the former Ministry of Justice was abolished and the previous Magistrate Courts Regulation lapsed. As a result, magistrate courts have operated for the past 18 years without a formal regulatory framework, relying only on inherited practices and limited statutory powers.

He said the new regulation, drafted by magistrates and submitted to the Supreme Court, finally fills that long-standing vacuum and will come into force on October 1, 2026, next month.

Chief Justice Abdul Ghanee Mohamed, Chief Judicial Administrator Amjadh Musthafa and JSC's president Husnee Mubarak.

Key changes introduced by the new regulations

Introduction of Court Registrars: Magistrate courts will now have designated registrars responsible for case screening and administrative processing. This will allow judges and court administrators to focus on their core judicial and managerial duties.
Harmonisation of services: Differences in case registration, trial procedures, and administrative fees across island magistrate courts will be eliminated. Courts in all regions will operate under a unified standard, ensuring equal access to justice nationwide.
General Assembly and Annual Meeting: The judicial sector will hold a General Assembly and Annual Meeting to recognise staff contributions and promote professional development within a structured, sector-wide environment.

More than 1,100 judges and court staff participated in 14 training sessions held to familiarise personnel with the new regulations, the largest training initiative ever conducted in the Maldivian judiciary.

The Chief Justice urged all judges and staff to implement the positive changes introduced by the regulation from 1 October onwards, and to serve the public with fairness, efficiency and compassion.

The purpose of the Magistrate Courts Regulations is to ensure uniformity in judicial operations, administrative procedures, and case-handling processes across all magistrate courts in the Maldives.