Committee approves appointment of Saleem and Hameed to Supreme Court

Judiciary Committee of the Parliament has approved the appointment of High Court Justice Mohamed Saleem and former judge Abdulla Hameed to the two vacant positions on the Supreme Court bench.

Their nominations were sent to Parliament by President Dr Mohamed Muizzu, and the matter was forwarded to the Judiciary Committee on Monday. During today's committee meeting, Holhudhoo MP Abdul Sattar Mohamed proposed approving the two nominees, stating that both Saleem and Hameed are capable and well-qualified for the roles.

The motion was unanimously supported by the committee members. As a result, the committee decided to recommend their appointment to the Supreme Court and has now forwarded the matter to the Parliament floor for a final vote.

The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) opened applications for the two Supreme Court vacancies for one week starting May 17. A total of 12 candidates applied, and following interviews conducted by the JSC, Saleem and Hameed received the highest marks.

Twelve candidates applied for the two vacant seats on the Supreme Court. Among them, High Court Justice Mohamed Saleem and former judge Abdulla Hameed received the highest marks during the interview process conducted by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC).1

JSC has recommended that the President nominate judges based on the ranking from these interviews. However, it remains unclear whether the President has forwarded the top two names as advised.

Under the Constitution, JSC is tasked with advising the President on judicial appointments to the Supreme Court. The final appointment of judges requires approval by Parliament following the President’s nomination.

Justice Mohamed Saleem, the highest-ranked candidate, previously served as a legal officer at the High Court for 12 years before being appointed as a judge in 2022. Former judge Abdulla Hameed, who held a seat on the High Court from 2007 to 2022, was also a member of the JSC during his tenure

He was dismissed from the bench following allegations of misconduct involving the purchase of discounted flats designated for judges during former President Abdulla Yameen's administration.