News Desk
President Dr. Mohammed Muizzu said today that reforming the Judicial Service Commission remains a key commitment of the government and will proceed even though the public has shown little support for broader constitutional amendments. He also announced plans to restore the Judicial Council and restructure the Department of Judicial Administration as part of wider judicial reform.
Speaking at a press conference at the President’s Office, President Muizzu referred to the recent referendum on holding presidential and parliamentary elections on the same day. He said the result made clear that people do not support major constitutional changes and that the government does not wish to pursue work the public does not welcome. For that reason, he said he does not intend to propose further amendments to the Constitution.
A journalist asked whether this meant abandoning constitutional changes linked to the government’s pledges, including reforming the composition of the JSC. President Muizzu said the public had not accepted wider constitutional reform, but the commitment to change the JSC was made during the presidential campaign and in the presidential statement. He said this makes the reform a necessary amendment and one that should not be set aside.
He said he would consult the Attorney General and relevant authorities to find a way forward. He reiterated that he does not support amending the Constitution to change major powers, but he believes JSC reform is something the public clearly wants and expects.
President Muizzu also said the government is considering significant structural changes to the judiciary. He said the previous MDP administration had taken steps that allowed political influence over the courts, including transferring administrative authority to the JSC. He described this as a move that opened indirect avenues for government influence.
He said the government intends to remove the Department of Judicial Administration from under the JSC and place it under the Courts Act. He added that the Judicial Council, which once served as a technical body for the judiciary, had been abolished in 2011 during the first MDP administration. The council previously included the Chief Justice, all Supreme Court judges and the chief judges of the High Court and superior courts.
President Muizzu said he plans to reconstitute the Judicial Council through legislative changes. He said he wants the DJA to be accountable to the Chief Justice and the Judicial Council, and for the Chief Judicial Administrator to answer directly to them.
He said these reforms are part of the government’s commitment to strengthen the judiciary and ensure its independence through proper institutional structure.
