Parliament of Maldives has decided to amend laws to disallow Supreme Court to run trials under Suo Moto regulations.
Parliament approved a report compiled by Parliamentary Committee on Judiciary after Parliamentarian Jeehan Mahmood submitted a resolution which claims the Supreme Court has obstructed powers granted to the Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (HRCM). The approved report suggests amending laws to disallow the Supreme Court to run trials under Suo Moto regulations.
Suo Moto regulations allow the apex court to initiate proceedings and act as both prosecution and judge.
The report was approved with 68 parliamentarians voting in favour.
The motion passed stated the Supreme Court had run trials under Suo Moto regulations, without an investigative body of the state and accuse such acts in violation of the constitution. The report suggested to amend any regulation that allows the Supreme Court to initiate proceedings.
The parliament passed a motion as the Supreme Court issued an order of guideline in 2015 for HRCM activities. The guideline was passed by the apex court after accusing HRCM of providing false information to United National Human Rights Committee (UNHRC).
The resolution proposed by Parliamentarian Jeehan stated the 11-point guideline issued by the Supreme Court following a Suo Moto case against HRCM obstructs and narrows the rights and legal powers. She further condemned the act of the Supreme Court in the resolution highlighting it is illegal. She said the guideline violates the rights granted to an independent institution and depicted the act of Supreme Court as influence peddling.
The resolution submitted called to amend laws to disregard the guidelines issued by the apex court of Maldives.