Former Member of Parliament Ibrahim Ismail, commonly known as Ibra, has filed a petition in the High Court seeking to restore the functionality of the Supreme Court, which has been disrupted by the suspension of three of its justices.
In a post on X on Friday, Ibra, who led the Special Majlis committee that drafted the current constitution, characterised the suspension as a “lockdown” of the apex court. The former president of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) warned that the declaration of a state of emergency would lead to the loss of people’s rights and constitutional authority.
The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) suspended three of the seven Supreme Court justices—Husnu Al Suood, Mahaz Ali Zahir, and Aishath Azmiralda Zahir—on Wednesday, just minutes before a scheduled hearing on a petition challenging the constitutionality of a recent amendment that strips lawmakers of their seats if they leave or are expelled from the party under which they were elected. The JSC cited an ongoing investigation by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) but did not provide details.
The suspensions effectively cancelled the hearing on the petition filed by former MP Ali Hussain, who sought an injunction to halt removal proceedings against lawmakers until the Supreme Court issued a ruling on the matter.
The suspensions followed the rushed passage of a bill in the People’s National Congress (PNC)-controlled Parliament on the same day, reducing the number of Supreme Court justices from seven to five. Despite significant opposition within the PNC, the amendment passed with near-unanimous support from its MPs, except for Hithadhoo Central MP Ahmed Azan. The bill has yet to be signed into law.
Parliament’s Counsel General, Fathimath Filza, on Tuesday warned against dismissing judges solely to implement the bill, calling it unfair. The legislation does not grant judges the opportunity to respond before being declared unfit for office.
Legal experts have criticised the government’s moves, warning that they threaten judicial independence and consolidate executive control over the judiciary. Critics say that the suspension of the justices is part of a broader strategy by President Mohamed Muizzu’s administration to obstruct judicial processes despite prior promises not to influence the judiciary. The decision has sparked fears that it is an attempt to weaken the independence of the country’s highest court.