Parliamentary Committee on Judicial Services has begun to review the case to dismiss High Court Judge Abdul Rauf Ibrahim and Judge Abdulla Hameed.
The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has forwarded the case to dismiss the judges to the Parliament of the Maldives. JSC is seeking to dismiss both judges after investigating a complaint accusing them of violating Article 152 of the Constitution of the Maldives by accepting government-issued flats at special prices after agreeing to issue a particular verdict in a court case. The commission stated that the government had given the flats directly to the judges without any involvement from the Parliament and that it violates Article 152 of the Constitution, which states that judges shall be paid a salary and allowances that keeps them with the stature of their office as determined by the Parliament.
JSC highlighted that the Parliament has not made special arrangements for the accommodation of judges and that the flats were not given in accordance with any established rules or regulations. Therefore, it stated that Judge Abdul Rauf Ibrahim and Judge Abdulla Hameed had violated the Constitution by accepting the flats and that they have also violated the code of conduct of judges by taking action that undermines the public’s trust in the judiciary. Due to these reasons, JSC stated it has made the decision to request the dismissal of both judges.