News DeskIn a striking turn of events, High Court Chief Judge Hussain Shaheed has applied for a vacancy on the Supreme Court, the country’s highest judicial body and final arbiter of legal disputes.
The announcement came after the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) reopened applications for the second time on Thursday, a move prompted by a sparse initial response. The deadline for this latest round ticked past at 10 a.m. today, leaving Shaheed, former Deputy Prosecutor General Mariam Nihayat, and lawyer Rusdullah Ibrahim as the trio vying for the bench.
The Supreme Court, an institution that shapes the very fabric of justice in this country, demands nothing less than legal luminaries—figures whose intellect and integrity are beyond reproach. To sit on its bench is to wield influence over landmark decisions, a responsibility reserved for those who have proven themselves masters of the legal craft.
When the JSC first called for applicants last Monday, only Nihayat stepped forward, her solitary bid prompting the commission to cast the net once more. Now, with Shaheed and Ibrahim joining the fray, the stakes feel higher than ever, though the vibe of a true legal luminary— An influential voice in shaping judicial precedent—has yet to fully emerge.
This vacancy traces back to the resignation of Husnu Sood, whose departure left a void in the court’s ranks. Sood’s tenure wasn’t without controversy—opposition voices had long branded him a political activist, a charge that shadowed his elevation to the Supreme Court when the MDP held the majority in parliament and wielded executive power.
Shaheed, an Addu boy, started as a legal officer in the Criminal Court before rising through the ranks, then a magistrate at Addu City Feydoo Court, Criminal Court judge, and, eventually, High Court judge on July 24, 2018, under President Yameen Abdul Gayoom’s administration. By October 26, 2023, he’d ascended to Chief Judge of the High Court.
Mariam Nihayat, too, brings a résumé that lists her as former civil court judge and deputy prosecutor general, she also served as Assistant Prosecutor General. Rusdullah Ibrahim, a lawyer by trade, remains less illuminated in the realm.
The bar for a Supreme Court judge in the Maldives isn’t as steep as in some other jurisdictions, though it still carries weight for an institution so central to the nation’s moral and legal compass. That said, only a handful of candidates have historically possessed the caliber to truly rise to the task as legal luminaries, and in the court’s formative years, some appointments leaned more toward pragmatism than distinction.
Candidates must boast at least seven years as a judge or lawyer—or a blend of both—alongside a first degree in Islamic Sharia, law, or a fusion of the two. At least 30 years of age, they must also stand apart from political parties, a rule meant to safeguard the court’s impartiality.
As the JSC weighs its options, the decision looms large. Whoever claims this seat will not only join the Supreme Court’s storied bench but also shoulder the weight of its legacy—a legacy that, for better or worse, defines justice in this land.
