Family Court chief judge Mahir applies for High Court vacancy

Family Court chief judge Ibrahim Mahir has applied for a vacant seat on the High Court bench.

The vacancy arose after Mohamed Shaheed, initially selected for the post, withdrew his name amid criticism over his political ties. Shaheed, a former deputy minister, was on the register of the ruling People’s National Congress (PNC) at the time he applied, leading to accusations of bias.

Seventeen candidates contested two High Court seats following the initial announcement. Former Civil Court judge Abdulla Jameel Moosa was appointed and sworn in, but Shaheed’s withdrawal prompted the Judicial Service Commission to reopen applications on Tuesday.

The deadline for submissions closes tomorrow.

Mahir, who has served about 15 years on the Family Court, was not among the first round of applicants. He was appointed chief judge of the Family Court on 13 October 2022. His judicial career began in 2005 at the then-Madhanee Court (now Civil Court), before transferring to the Family Court in 2010.