With implementation of the Magistrate Courts Regulation set to begin next month, an 18-year-long major void will come to an end, Chief Justice Abdul Ghanee Mohamed stated today.

Speaking at the closing ceremony of a training program held in L. Gan to train staff on the Magistrate Courts Regulation, the Chief Justice stated that when implementation of the green constitution commenced and the Ministry of Justice was dissolved, the Magistrate Courts Regulation was voided, leading to various responsibilities being carried out by different institutions. He added that even after 18 years of the situation remaining as such, that legal void will come to an end with the newly drafted regulation.

"Implementation of that regulation will begin on October 1, 2026. Therefore, the long 18-year void will come to an end from that point onward," the Chief Justice said.

According to the Chief Justice, recognizing the importance of such a regulation, the work to draft it was undertaken on the initiative of magistrates themselves. He stated that with this regulation, the practice of courts in different islands acting under varying procedures will come to an end, and services across all magistrate courts will be available at an equal standard in all islands.

"Whether a citizen seeks service from a court in a northern island of the Maldives or from a court in a southern island, every citizen will receive a fair service provided at an equal standard, equitably, and under a unified procedure," the Chief Justice said.

The Chief Justice stated that before implementation of the regulation begins, court staff must be familiarized with it, and spatial capacity and resources at the courts must be established. He also noted that although the position of Registrar of Magistrate Courts is stipulated under the new regulation, the position is absent from the framework established by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC), and stated that efforts will be made to find a solution to the matter.