Supreme Court has said in a ruling that Press Freedom, Right to Information and Freedom of Expression are all interconnected and are main tenets of a democracy.
Supreme Court has said in a ruling that Press Freedom, Right to Information and Freedom of Expression are all interconnected and are main tenets of a democracy.
The Supreme Court made this statement in their ruling in the case where Bank of Maldives (BML) filed a case against an order to divulge details of salaries and remunerations received by senior officials of the bank.
The apex court ruled that this part of the regulations do not contravene the law, and said that as per the Constitution, the Maldives has a democracy, it is a right of the people to know how things are being conducted by the State. They said that the rights granted in the Constitution can be implemented when the public and the press are aware of the inner workings of the State, adding that this is a key tenet of a democracy.
"Having a process set up in the State apparatus through which the people can seek information regarding proceedings of the State is vital to ensure the sustainability of a democracy," said the ruling penned by Judge HusnuSuood, and backed unanimously by the three judge bench.
The ruling says that Right to Information is the most important right, as it is only through being able to obtain information that Press Freedom and Freedom of Expression can be practised.
The ruling further said there would no room for anyone to interpret the Right to Information in a way that narrows down the right, as this would directly impact the ability to hold the State accountable and to minimize chances of corruption and undue influence within the State.
Supreme Court ruled against BML and declared that the Right to Information can be applied against the bank as well. However, as the specific RTI request concerns the salaries of the bank's Board and senior officials, they do not have to reveal these details as this information is protected by a law.
In addition to Judge Suood, the bench overseeing the case consisted of Judge Dr Mohamed Ibrahim and Judge Ali Rasheed Hussain.
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