Justice Ali Rasheed’s retirement approved by JSC, effective December 1

The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has decided to accept the retirement of Supreme Court Justice Ali Rasheed Hussain, confirming that his retirement will take effect on December 1, 2026. 

The JSC said on Wednesday that Justice Ali Rasheed had submitted a request to retire next month, and the Commission approved the request after reviewing the requirements under the Judges’ Retirement Regulations.

With the retirement now confirmed, the Commission has begun the procedures outlined in Article 17 of the Judges Act to identify a candidate to fill the vacancy on the Supreme Court bench. Justice Ali Rasheed has served across multiple courts during his judicial career, including as a judge at the Criminal Court, Chief Justice of the Civil Court, and as a judge at the Drug Court, before his appointment to the Supreme Court six years ago.

He presided over the 2019 Criminal Court bench that sentenced former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom to prison. During his tenure on the Supreme Court, he was also investigated over allegations of misconduct, though none of the cases resulted in a conviction. His departure marks the retirement of a long-serving judicial figure whose career spans several key roles in the Maldivian judiciary.