How a move to curb MPs and a spa visit led to the Supreme Court cull
As the ruling party flexed its supermajority to remove two Supreme Court justices, our timeline explores how a constitutional challenge to new anti-defection rules has unravelled the separation of powers.
Artwork: Dosain
20 November 2024
President Dr Mohamed Muizzu ratifies constitutional amendment to disqualify MPs who switch parties.
4 December 2024
6:45pm: Dr Ismail Latheef (Justice Azmiralda's husband), an anesthesiologist at the Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital, visits a registered spa for a massage
Dr Latheef had pulled a muscle in his back two days before
The spa was recommended by his colleagues at IGMH
It was his first time at the premises
7:15pm: Police raid the spa alleging staff engaged in sexual activities with customers for money
Police stop Dr Latheef who was found in a room with the door slightly ajar
Dr Latheef was wearing underwear with a towel wrapped around his waist
A masseuse, in uniform, was present in the room
Police claimed that in an adjacent room, a man and woman were engaged in sexual activities
Initial decision: The investigating officer (IO) decides to release Dr Latheef
Change of decision: A junior police staff motions for the IO to call seniors
Multiple phone calls occur over a half-hour period
10:06pm: Dr Latheef formally arrested - nearly three hours after initially being stopped
5 December 2024
7:47am: Justice Azmiralda discovers her husband was arrested
She had not been informed of his arrest by authorities
She learned about it from the anaesthesia head of department at the hospital
Justice Azmiralda calls in sick from work
Justice Azmiralda remains in contact only with Dr Latheef's lawyers
Dr Latheef refuses to implicate his wife in any police proceedings and appointed his own attorney
Morning: Dr Latheef taken to criminal court for remand hearing
10:38am: Judge Zihunee orders Dr Latheef's release from custody
2:45pm: News site Javiyani publishes article claiming Justice Azmiralda influenced the criminal court judge to release Dr Latheef
After release: Police initially reluctant to return Dr Latheef's mobile phone
Police insisted they could get a court order to examine his phone
Dr Latheef's lawyers argued that, as he wasn't implicated in any offense, there was no basis to examine it and police eventually returned the phone
Later that day: Justice Mahaz Ali Zahir makes phone call to criminal court judge Sofwath Habeeb
[Justice Mahaz's claim]: He called after Dr Latheef had already been released
[Justice Mahaz's claim]: He called because the case might reach the Supreme Court on appeal
[Justice Mahaz's claim]: He first learned of Dr Latheef's arrest from then-Justice Husnu Al Suood
[JSC report]: Justice Mahaz called without knowing Dr Latheef had been released
[JSC report]: Judge Zihunee and Judge Sofwath checked if Dr Latheef had been brought to court at Justice Mahaz's "request"
[JSC report]: Judge Sofwath shared information about the call with Chief Judge Adam Mohamed
6:28pm: First direct phone communication between Justice Azmiralda and Justice Mahaz
[Both justices' claim]: This was their first communication that day, hours after Dr Latheef's release
[JSC report]: They could have communicated earlier through internet applications
8 February 2025
Attorney General (AG) Ahmed Usham sends message to Justice Azmiralda via an intermediary
Claimed to have no intention of influencing Supreme Court judges
Stated the President was deeply concerned regarding the constitutional challenge
Claimed to have reassured the President that the case would be dismissed based on lack of jurisdiction
Mentioned JSC could probe allegations about Justice Azmiralda exerting influence to get her husband released
Justice Azmiralda responded:
Denied there was anything for JSC to probe
Stated she had not called or contacted any judge during her husband's detention
Offered screenshots of her conversation with Dr Latheef's lawyers from that day
Justice Azmiralda learns that Justice Mahaz made a phone call on December 5, 2024, to a criminal court judge
Notes that this was not at her request
Call was made after Dr Latheef was already released
10 February 2025
AG sends another message to Justice Azmiralda:
States he is convinced there was no foul play regarding Dr Latheef's release
Mentions another disciplinary case from 2022 concerning justices Azmiralda, Mahaz, and Suood
Reiterates the President's concern about Supreme Court deciding on the substance of the constitutional motion
17 February 2025
Supreme Court holds first hearing on constitutional motion (Ali Hussain v State, case number 2024/SC-C/02)
Challenge to the anti-defection amendment
Full seven-member bench of the Supreme Court present
State (via AG) raises procedural objection citing lack of jurisdiction over constitutional amendments
18 February 2025
Supreme Court decides to proceed with the constitutional case despite the state's objection
23 February 2025
People's National Congress (PNC) MP submits bill to parliament
Amendment to the Judicature Act proposed
Bill would downsize Supreme Court bench from seven members to five
24 February 2025
Parliament begins preliminary debate on Supreme Court downsizing bill
25 February 2025
Former MP Ali Hussain submits application for an interim order in his constitutional motion
Seeks temporary stay on enforcement of anti-defection provisions
Parliament's judiciary committee passes and sends Judicature Act amendment to the floor
26 February 2025
10:00am: Parliament votes through the legal changes in an expedited process with a roll-call vote
9:45am-10:30am: Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) sends letter to JSC
Letter was signed by ACC President Adam Shamil
Letter was delivered by hand rather than through the government's official Government E-letter Management System (GEMS)
Letter lacked official reference numbers
Letter did not specify what matter the commission was investigating
10:45am: Media reports suspension of Justices Azmiralda, Mahaz and Suood
10:45am-11:00am: JSC suspends Justice Azmiralda
Suspension occurred 15 minutes prior to scheduled hearing on former MP Ali Hussain’s interim order
Suspension based on ACC letter
11:00am: Scheduled Supreme Court hearing could not proceed (at least five justices are required to hear constitutional cases)
Later that day: Justice Azmiralda receives email notification of suspension
Notice stated suspension was based on criminal investigations by the ACC
All three justices received separate notices on disciplinary proceedings initiated by JSC
27 February 2025
Justice Azmiralda files corruption complaints against:
Attorney General Ahmed Usham for threatening her
Minister of homeland security and technology for using police intelligence to arrest her husband
JSC for its rushed process to suspend three Supreme Court justices to paralyze the Supreme Court
Complaint lodged at the ACC
4 March 2025
Justice Husnu Al Suood resigns in protest
Cites attempts to exert influence on the judiciary by the executive
6 March 2025
Justice Azmiralda learns details about the ACC investigation
Commission investigating allegations of her exerting influence over criminal court judges
Investigation was initiated by ACC president
Investigation had not yet reached its preliminary stage
Justice Azmiralda’s lawyer issues a statement condemning ethics probes as “manufactured without any basis or foundation to interfere with and influence the work of judges”
10 March 2025
Justice Azmiralda's lawyers file criminal complaint against ACC President Shamil, alleging abuse of powers to paralyze the Supreme Court
11 March 2025
Justice Azmiralda attends first JSC hearing
Her lawyer accompanied her
She declared willingness to answer questions about the substance of the case
JSC denied her lawyer the right to speak on her behalf or address procedural legal issues
Justice Azmiralda denies all allegations and states the matter is fabricated
12 March 2025
JSC denies depriving Justice Azmiralda of the right to legal representation
13 March 2025
Justice Azmiralda receives JSC committee's report with statements from three criminal court judges:
Judge Ibrahim Zihunee (who presided over Dr Latheef's remand hearing)
Judge Sofwath Habeeb (whom Justice Mahaz called)
Judge Adam Mohamed (chief judge of the criminal court)
[Judges' testimony]: No attempt was made by either justice to exert influence
[Judges' testimony]: Unaware at the time that Dr Latheef was Justice Azmiralda's husband
[Judges' testimony]: Justice Mahaz called Judge Sofwath (to whom he is related) after Dr Latheef was released
[Both justices' testimony]: First spoke to each other at 6:28pm on December 5, hours after Dr Latheef's release
[JSC report]: Claims Justice Azmiralda influenced judges
[JSC report]: Claims Judge Zihunee testified that Justice Azmiralda exerted influence
[JSC report]: Concludes Justice Mahaz likely looked into the detention case at Justice Azmiralda's request
[JSC report]: Suggests Judge Zihunee was wrong to release Dr Latheef
[JSC report]: Chief Judge Adam Mohamed stated he wouldn't have released Dr Latheef if he had been presiding
[JSC report]: Concludes both justices collaborated to influence the criminal court judge
[JSC report]: Recommends both justices be dismissed from office
15 March 2025
JSC dismisses Supreme Court's 2022 complaint against high court assistant registrar and judges
One of the High Court judges involved (Justice Shaheed) was being considered for appointment to Supreme Court
Dismissal occurred one day before Justice Shaheed's interview for Supreme Court
16 March 2025
ACC registers Justice Azmiralda's complaint against the commission president
18 March 2025
Justice Azmiralda's lawyer Ibrahim Shameel issues press statement
JSC decides to launch a third case against Justice Azmiralda
Based on her lawyer giving information to the media
19 March 2025
ACC rejects Justice Azmiralda's complaint against AG and others
Rejection based on claim that the issue was not corruption and did not fall under commission's mandate
JSC serves notice of third disciplinary case to Justice Azmiralda
Alleges she issued press statements, though they were made by her lawyer
Justice Azmiralda attends hearing for second disciplinary case (for 2022 incident)
JSC again denies her request for an open hearing
JSC again denies her legal counsel’s requests to speak at the hearing
Justice Azmiralda questions JSC's authority to investigate incidents from years ago
8 April 2025
Police decline to investigate Justice Azmiralda’s complaints against ACC President Shamil of false disclosure and abuse of authority
14 April 2025
Judiciary committee agrees to investigate Justice Azmiralda's complaint about unfair JSC processes
Committee unanimously decides to request documentation from JSC about investigation procedures
Committee plans to hear from all parties involved
18 April 2025
JSC committee finalises investigation report
Justice Azmiralda and Justice Mahaz's legal team point out numerous inconsistencies:
The report ignores testimony from all three criminal court judges who denied any influence was exerted
The report misrepresents Judge Zihunee's testimony
The report claims Justice Azmiralda was attempting to influence judges when no evidence supported this
22 April 2025
Justice Azmiralda sends detailed letter to President Dr Mohamed Muizzu
Notes that the JSC investigating committee includes two members appointed by the President
Describes the report as containing multiple falsehoods
Explains that Dr Latheef was not arrested in a state of nudity, contrary to the report's claims
4 May 2025
JSC officially decides to recommend dismissal of both Justice Azmiralda and Justice Mahaz to parliament
Notwithstanding witness testimony, JSC concludes that Justice Mahaz and Justice Azmiralda collaborated to influence Judge Zihunee to release Dr Ismail
5 May 2025
Parliament sends impeachment recommendation for review by the judiciary committee
Justice Azmiralda and Justice Mahaz request opportunity to speak before committee
Committee defers decision on allowing the accused to speak
6 May 2025
Judiciary committee meeting tabled twice but cancelled both times
10 May 2025
Committee rejects proposal by MDP MP Mauroof Zakir to summon the justices and JSC members
PNC MPs favour endorsing JSC decision as procedurally fair
A motion to study both Dr Azmiralda’s complaint and the JSC report at next meeting passed with bipartisan support
11 May 2025
Committee decides to conduct proceedings behind closed doors. Opposition MPs protested the decision and walked out.
Committee decides JSC followed due process in recommending the judges removal and sent the JSC’s report to the floor for a vote.
12 May 2025
LAWASIA and Bar Association of India voice concern over the JSC's recommendation to dismiss the Supreme Court justices.
13 May 2025
Nepal Bar Association and the Human Rights Commission of Maldives express concern over the JSC’s recommendation and the judiciary committee’s refusal to allow the judges to defend themselves.
Fathimath Filza, the counsel general of parliament, advised the judiciary committee that the JSC had not followed due process when initiating disciplinary proceedings.
She notes that the JSC began the proceedings without the necessary sign-off from the commission’s committee, as mandated under the JSC Act, to decide on initiating disciplinary proceedings.
The judiciary committee declined further review and decided to forward the JSC report and Filza’s advice to the floor for a vote
14 May 2025
Parliament debated the matter for two hours, during which ruling party MPs rejected Filza’s legal advice and backed the dismissal of the two judges, while opposition MPs voiced strong objections.
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