High Court judge Azmiraldha resigns, says she was “forced” to do so

High Court judge, Judge Azmiraldha Zahir – who was transferred to southern branch of the court - has resigned from her post.

She sent her letter of resignation to President of Judicial Service Commission (JSC), Ali Hameed, on Thursday.

In her letter, Azmiraldha said that she was resigning from her post because she was being “actively forced” to do so.

“…Therefore, though I wish to continue faithfully serving the country, I have received no hope from any state institution that my services are needed for this country today,” wrote Azmiraldha in her resignation letter.

She said that neither Supreme Court nor JSC had clarified for how long she had been sent to the southern branch of High Court, located in S. Hulhumeedhoo for, despite having sent letters requesting for clarification to both the institutions on four separate occasions.

“…As I have not been clarified been clarified the period of time for which I have been sent to Addu Atoll, despite already having spent five months here – leading to difficulties in making arrangements for my two children and their rights being denied due to negligence of relevant authorities – I am being actively forced to resign and therefore hereby hand in my resignation as a judge of High Court today – May 12, 2016,” read her letter.

She alleged in her letter that laws and rules being established of late were for the benefit of specific individuals. And that such laws and rules were denying people basic rights.

She said that there was no way for people to retain their rights and resolve issues when authorities responsible for looking out for such issues refused to take necessary measures.

Azmaraldha said that when JSC – the institution which was responsible by law to look into matters relating to work of judges – failed to give her an answer, she had sent letters to People’s Majlis Committee for Independent Institutions and President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom himself.

She said that the answer to her letter to President Yameen read that it was “not something President can provide an answer to”, and that it was better to contact Supreme Court or JSC.

And that the answer to her letter to Committee for Independent Institutions was that the Committee could do nothing regarding the issue as it was an issue that needed to be filed with JSC.