In a significant move to reshape the country’s highest judicial body, the Maldivian Parliament received a new bill tonight proposing to reduce the number of Supreme Court judges from seven to five. The legislation was introduced by PNC member Abdus-Sattar Mohamed (Sato), representing the Hulhudhoo constituency, on behalf of the government.

The bill, scheduled for its first reading tomorrow, outlines a swift implementation process. Once enacted, the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) would have five days to recommend which two judges should be removed. Parliament would then be required to make a final decision within seven days of receiving these recommendations.

This legislative push comes at a politically sensitive time, as the Supreme Court is currently reviewing a controversial case. The court recently agreed to hear a challenge to a constitutional amendment passed by the PNC super-majority Parliament, which mandates that MPs lose their seats upon expulsion from their political parties.

The timing has raised eyebrows across the political spectrum, particularly as rumors had been circulating about potential attempts to remove certain judges – allegations the government has explicitly denied.

The proposed change mirrors similar historical modifications to the court’s composition. The Supreme Court initially operated with seven judges, but during former President Abdulla Yameen’s administration, the PPM-majority Parliament reduced the number, leading to the removal of then-Chief Justice Ahmed Faiz Hussain and Justice Ahmed Muthasim Adnan.

The court returned to its seven-judge composition during former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih’s tenure, when the MDP-controlled Parliament increased the numbers. That change was followed by a comprehensive review of sitting judges by the JSC, resulting in removals and new appointments.

All current Supreme Court judges were appointed with parliamentary approval following these changes. The proposed reduction, if passed, would mark another significant restructuring of the Maldives’ highest judicial authority, potentially impacting the court’s operations and its ongoing cases.

The bill’s progression through Parliament and its potential implications for judicial independence and current court proceedings will be closely watched by legal experts and political observers in the coming days.