Four members of JSC to be summoned to Parliament Committee on Independent Institutions

It has been decided to summon four members of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) to the Parliament Committee on Independent Institutions, in relation to a case filed to the committee against JSC by four members of the Parliamentary Group of Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).

The four JSC members to be summoned to the committee are JSC President, Supreme Court Judge Adam Mohamed; JSC Member appointed by the president Ahmed Saleem; JSC Member appointed by the public Sheikh Shuaib Abdul Rahman; and JSC Member appointed by lower courts, Criminal Court Judge Abdullah Didi.

The case filed to the committee by the four members of MDP states that JSC is trying impose undue influence regarding the case filed against JSC to High Court by former President Mohamed Nasheed. They had accused the president and vice president of JSC of sending letters in violation of the law, requesting the court to expedite the case.

Speaking at the Independent Institutions Committee meeting held today, Thoddoo MP Ali Waheed said that JSC had summoned and threatened Chief Judge of High Court Ahmed Shareef Ali, as part of its efforts to influence the case filed to High Court by Nasheed.

Ali Waheed also said that JSC had sent a letterto High Court, which had been leaked, giving legal advice. He said that in the letter, JSC had highlighted that the law states that cases filed to the High Court must be completed within a certain timeframe, and thus requested the High Court to expedite the case.

Ali Waheed said that JSC cannot give legal advice to the High Court, and this matter must be investigated.

Speaking at the committee today, Thulusdhoo MP Rozaina Adam said that no meeting of JSC or decisions made by JSC are legitimate as long as Civil Service Commission (CSC) President Mohamed Fahmy Hassan remains a member of JSC.

Rozaina said that before the committee probes any issue related to JSC, the issue of CSC President Fahmy, who was recently dismissed by the parliament, remaining in JSC as a member should be investigated. She said that the Independent Institutions Committee should notify JSC that Fahmy cannot participate in JSC’s meetings.

Committee Chairman Kulhudhuffushi MP Mohamed Nasheed said that the case related to Fahmy is a separate issue, and requested that it be submitted as a separate case.

The four members of JSC have been summoned to the Independent Institutions Committee meeting tomorrow. This was suggested by Ali Waheed, supported by Henveyru-South MP Hamid Abdul Gafoor, and passed with four votes in favour.