Diminished Supreme Court weighs MPs' disqualification
A digest of yesterday's top story.
10 Mar, 9:00 AM
Good morning. It’s another hazy day in the Malé region. Today we’re looking at the first Supreme Court case contesting the status of an MP from the 20th People’s Majlis amid disciplinary proceedings against two justices. In other news, a former president raised the alarm over the central bank’s alleged money printing scheme and opposition protests continued in Malé.
The Supreme Court accepted a case filed to unseat a ruling party lawmaker over the failure to repay a loan.
Mohamed Sinan, People’s National Congress MP for Hithadhoo North, was accused of non-compliance with a Hithadhoo magistrate court order from October 2024 to repay MVR 2.5 million (US$ 162,100) owed to the Maldives Islamic Bank.
According to the constitution, an MP “becomes immediately disqualified if he has decreed debt which is not being paid as provided in the judgment.”
The case emerged in the media after the Supreme Court was petitioned on February 13 to declare the Hithadhoo North seat vacant. On the same day, Sinan reportedly settled the outstanding dues of MVR 1.3 million.
According to Adhadhu, a state minister paid the full pending amount in cash on behalf of Sinan.
After the loan was repaid, legal experts were divided on the application of the constitutional provision. Some argued he should lose the seat over the failure to honour the payment schedule in the judgment. But Sinan did pay before the six-month deadline and there was collateral to consider, others countered.
The Supreme Court’s registrar decided to accept the case on Sunday.
The decision comes with the apex court bench diminished by the resignation of Justice Husnu Suood and the suspensions of Justices Azmiralda Zahir and Mahaz Ali Zahir.
On Sunday, Justice Mahaz appeared before a Judicial Service Commission committee investigating alleged ethical breaches. He denied allegations of exerting influence over criminal court judges to free Justice Azmiralda’s husband, Dr Ismail Latheef, following his arrest during a raid of a spa suspected of operating as a brothel.
Justice Mahaz only learned of Latheef’s detention after the criminal court concluded the remand hearing on the morning of December 5, his lawyer told the press after the JSC hearing.
Justice Azmiralda – who has condemned the alleged misconduct as fabricated – is due to appear before the watchdog’s committee later this week.
On Sunday, the JSC denied her request for a public hearing, citing potential damage to public interest from open proceedings.