Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Dr Ahmed Abdulla Didi accuses Department of Judicial Administration (DJA) of attempting to paralyse the judiciary by obstructing its constitutional responsibility to carry out justice. The chief justice made the remarks in a statement released to express his abhorrence over interference, obstruction of justice and efforts to neutralise the powers of the judges by DJA.
Chief Justice Abdulla Didi stated DJA is currently under Judicial Service Commission (JSC) and has only been assigned the task of administering the judiciary and not mandated to meddle with the affairs of the courts to carry out justice.
In the statement, Chief Justice Abdulla Didi noted DJA is working to take away the powers of the chief justice over the Supreme Court, adding it is similar to neutralising the powers of the president over the state executive or nullifying the authority of the speaker over the parliament. He claimed judges are constantly being threatened either by DJA or JSC over matters related to justice but the law stipulates the authority of Judges in matters of verdict and other affairs regarding justice. He added constitutional mandate given to the Supreme Court and the lower courts to conduct justice are being constantly interfered and obstructed by DJA in contravention to the law.
The statement came after the Judicial Council met at a closed door session to decide not to act upon the new law granting more powers to JSC. The JSC has warned measures would to be taken against the judges if the council decided to ignore or bypass the powers of JSC.