The Judiciary Committee of the People’s Majlis has approved the appointment of Chief Judge of the High Court, Hussain Shahid, as a Justice of the Supreme Court. The committee decided to give consent without further investigation since the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) had already conducted studies on Shahid’s nomination. All members present at the committee meeting unanimously voted in favor of approving Shahid.
The vacancy in the Supreme Court arose following the resignation of Husnusuood. When the position was first advertised, only former Deputy Prosecutor General Maryam Nihayath applied. Consequently, the JSC advertised for a second time. This time, High Court Chief Judge Shahid and lawyer Rushdullah Ibrahim applied. Shahid holds higher education in Sharia and Law from Al-Azhar University in Egypt and Kulliyyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences, as well as a Master’s in Islamic Judicial Science and Sharia Policy from the Islamic University of Maldives. Prior to his role as a High Court judge, Shahid served as a judge at the Criminal Court and as a magistrate in Feydhoo.
Shahid was appointed as a High Court judge on July 24, 2018, after serving as a judge at the Criminal Court and as a magistrate in Feydhoo. He was appointed as the Chief Judge of the High Court on October 26, 2023. The current composition of the Supreme Court will include Chief Justice Ahmed Muthasim Adnan, Justice Dr. Azmiralda Zahir, Justice Mahaz Ali Zahir, Justice Aisha Shujoon Mohamed, Justice Ali Rasheed Hussain, and Justice Dr. Mohamed Ibrahim.
Among these justices, Mahaz and Azmiralda are currently suspended.
