News DeskMALE’, Maldives — The Supreme Court is meddling in politics and handing down politically charged rulings, Deputy Speaker Ahmed Nazim declared in a fiery speech to the Majlis on Tuesday, as lawmakers debated a bill to shrink the court from its current size to just five justices.
Nazim didn’t hold back, accusing the justices of straying into a political mess they should steer clear of. “We’re seeing people who shouldn’t be tangled up in this debacle,” he said, pointing to what he called a troubling trend. “Political leaders are signaling they’re ready to march to the beat of those drums.”
The deputy speaker insisted that judges ought to stay neutral, but lamented that’s far from reality. “It’s unfortunate,” he said, “but the Supreme Court is now wading into political waters and issuing verdicts that feel more like partisan calls than legal ones.”
Nazim threw his weight behind the bill, urging its passage. “If this is the change we need, let’s get it done,” he said, vowing he’d take the risk himself. “I’d dare to do it, and I will.”
He also took aim at the court’s handling of a case challenging a constitutional amendment that could strip members of parliament of their seats. Nazim argued the justices overstepped by even entertaining the matter, claiming they’re poking at parliamentary privilege. “The court’s raising questions it shouldn’t,” That’s parliament’s turf, he said.
The timing, Nazim added, couldn’t be riper for shaking up the court. The push to overhaul the bench comes as ruling party Member Sattar’s amendment to the Courts Act gains traction. It would not only cut the number of justices to five but also boot two deemed incompetent within a week of the bill passing.
The government’s move to reshape the court kicked off just as the full bench was wrestling with the seat-loss amendment case. State attorneys pressed the justices to toss it out, arguing the amendment’s constitutionality was off-limits. The court, undeterred, opted to plow ahead with the trial—a decision that’s only fueled the fire.
