The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has requested the dismissal of High Court Judges Abdulla Hameed and Abdul Rauf Ibrahim at the Parliament.
A letter sent to the Parliament signed by JSC President and Thulhaadhoo MP Hisaan Hussain requesting to dismiss the two judges was read out at Monday's Parliament sitting. The matter was then forwarded to the Parliament's Judiciary Committee for review.
Hisaan's letter said the two judges, Abdul Rauf Ibrahim and Abdulla Hameed purchased at low prices flats that were issued to judges against Article 152 of the Constitution. After reviewing a complaint submitted at the JSC, which claimed that the judges had ruled in a certain manner in return for the deal, the commission found that the flats were issued to the judges in violation of the Constitution. JSC noted that the Parliament was not involved in the matter throughout the entire process. The apartments were issued to the judges by the government as special incentives, the letter said.
The letter further said the Parliament has a policy in place to arrange housing and accommodation for judges. However, the flats were issued to some High Court judges outside of the policies in place, and with significant financial eases, it said.
JSC further said Judges Abdul Rauf Ibrahim and Abdulla Hameed accepted the flats offered to them and that it was unconstitutional. It also violates Articles 3.1 and 3.2 of the Judges Code of Conduct, which states that their conduct must be such that the public has confidence in their honesty, truthfulness, and trustworthiness.
Therefore, the JSC had concluded that the judges must be dismissed and requested the Parliament to decide on the matter, the letter further said.
While JSC seeks to dismiss judges, High Court Judge Ahmed Sameer recently resigned from the court. He is also among the judges who accepted flats.
