Civil Court states it cannot hear case on dismissal of Tribunal members

Civil Court has stated that it cannot rule on the case submitted to the court by three of the four dismissed members of the Tax Appeal Tribunal against the President's Office.

On advice of the parliament, President Dr Mohamed Muizzu last year dismissed then Tax Appeal Tribunal President Mohamed Munavvar Ali, Vice President Hussain Zaidhan Jaleel and members Ahmed Ashraf and Khadheeja Naeem.

Dismissed members Munavvar, Zaidhan and Ashraf filed a judicial review case at the Civil Court citing they were dismissed against the Tax Administration Act. They filed for compensation for lost salaries and allowances, and to cover the costs of trial.

However, the State claimed that the case cannot be heard at the Civil Court, and questioned its jurisdiction.

The State said in Court that it is the President who decides on whether members have failed to fulfil their duties. They stated that their is no legal standing for the court to proceed a case to inspect how the President made the decision.

The Civil Court's ruling in the case yesterday said that for the court to intervene in the case would be an encroachment upon the powers of the President granted to him by the Constitution.

It said that the President holds the authority to appoint and dismiss persons to positions necessary to fulfil the responsibilities of his post, and it is not something the court can intervene in.