Justice Dr. Azmiraaldha Zahir and Mahaz Ali Zahir have been dismissed from their positions as Supreme Court Justices. The judges were dismissed by a vote taken in today’s People’s Majlis session. In separate votes, 68 members voted to dismiss both judges. After the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) sent the matter of dismissing two Supreme Court judges to the People’s Majlis, the Judiciary Committee of the Majlis studied the matter and decided that there were no procedural issues in dismissing the two judges. The Constitution states that a judge can be removed from office if the Judicial Service Commission believes that the person is not qualified for the position of judge, or that the judge has committed an act unbecoming of the position, and submits the matter to the People’s Majlis, where it passes with a two-thirds majority of the members present and voting at a session of the Majlis.
The dismissal of Dr. Azmiraaldha Zahir and Ustaz Mahaz Ali Zahir from their positions as Supreme Court Justices was passed by more than two-thirds of the members present at the Majlis session in separate votes. As such, 68 members voted to dismiss the two judges, while 11 members voted against. The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) sent the matter to the People’s Majlis to dismiss Justice Azmiraaldha and Justice Mahaz after determining that they were guilty of misconduct in a case where they were accused of influencing lower court judges to release Dr. Ismail Lateef, Azmiraaldha’s husband, from detention.
The JSC report states that it has been proven that Supreme Court Justice Dr. Azmiraaldha Zahir and Justice Mahaz Ali Zahir, through Criminal Court Judge Saffath Habeeb, influenced Judge Ibrahim Zihunee, who made the decision regarding detention in the case of Dr. Ismail Lateef, who was taken into police custody on April 04, 2025, when he was brought to the Criminal Court to decide on his detention.
Therefore, as the actions of Dr. Azmiraaldha Zahir and Mahaz are contrary to the Constitution, the Judges Act of the Maldives, and the Judges’ Code of Conduct, the JSC has requested to decide on their judgeships under the JSC Act. After studying the case, many members of the Majlis supported the Judiciary Committee’s decision to dismiss the two judges. Members have stated that it has been proven that the two judges influenced the lower court judges.
While speaking on the matter of dismissing the judges, members also shared statistics on decisions made by the JSC regarding cases related to judges. Members also stated that the judiciary was most influenced during the previous MDP administration.
According to statistics, from November 2018 to 2023, 56 actions were taken against judges. This includes dismissing 8 judges, demoting 3 judges, and suspending 12 judges. The number of judges who were reprimanded after being found guilty of misconduct reached 33. However, in this government, only 5 actions have been taken against judges so far. This includes suspending 3 judges and 2 cases of examining judges’ misconduct and reprimanding them, as stated by the members.
