The Parliament during its final sitting of the current term has approved to appoint former Attorney General Husnu-al-Suood to the Supreme Court.
Suood was approved for appointment with the agreement of 64 out of 65 members who took part in the vote. Parliamentarians representing the opposition did not take part in the vote.
Suood was nominated by President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih for one of the three available vacanies of the top court bench after former Chief Justice Dr. Ahmed Abdulla Didi, and Judge Adam Mohamed were dismissed from the court by the parliament, and following Justice Abdulla Areef's retirement.
According to the constitution, an appointment can be made to the Supreme Court bench by the parliament from among nominations sent to the parliament by the President that are based on the counsel of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC).
While Suood has been seen on the front lines of main-ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) in the past, several opposition parliamentarians spoke against appointing Suood to the Supreme Court claiming that he is a 'politician', after the Judiciary Committee forwarded his name to the parliament floor for approval.
Suood is currently the Chairman of the commission established by President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih to investigate murders and enforced disappearances. He previously served as the Attorney General during the tenure of former President Mohamed Nasheed. He recently ran for the President of the Bar Council but he was unsuccessful in his bid.
