Parliament to appoint member to JSC on Thursday, 29 Aug

The appointment of a member to the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) from the parliament has been put on the agenda of the parliament sitting scheduled for Thursday, 29 August.

This follows Maamigili MP Gasim Ibrahim’s resignation from the post of member of JSC.

According to the JSC Act, the seat of a JSC member will become vacant if the member decides to contest for a political position elected under the Constitution or a Law.

The parliament began work on appointing a member to JSC yesterday, but none of the names nominated to the floor were passed.

The names nominated for the post of JSC member yesterday were Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) Parliamentary Group Member, Bilehdhoo MP Ahmed Hamza; Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) Parliamentary Group Member, Maavah MP Abdul Azeez Jamal Abubakr; and Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) Parliamentary Group Member, Nolhivaram MP Mohamed Nasheed.

Independent Member, Kanditheemu MP Mohamed Hussain’s name was also nominated but later withdrawn.

At yesterday’s parliament sitting where 73 MPs were present, Ahmed Hamza received 34 votes in favour and 39 votes against being appointed as a member of JSC.

Mohamed Nasheed received 18 votes in favour and 55 votes against being appointed as a member of JSC.

Azeez Jamal Abubakr received 31 votes in favour and 42 votes against being appointed as a member of JSC.

JSC is made up of ten members. They are Supreme Court Judge Adam Mohamed, Parliament Speaker Abdullah Shahid, High Court Judge Abdullah Hameed, Criminal Court Judge Abdullah Didi, member appointed to JSC from the public Sheikh Shuaib Abdul Rahman, member appointed to JSC by the president Latheefa Gasim, and Attorney General Aishath Azima Shakoor.

Mohamed Fahmy Hassan, who has been dismissed from JSC after he lost his seat at the Civil Service Commission (CSC), continues to attend JSC’s meetings.