The People's Majlis has approved the dismissal of Criminal Court Judge Hussain Faaiz Rashaad from his judicial post.

The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) decided last Wednesday to recommend Judge Hussain Faaiz Rashaad's dismissal from the judiciary to the People's Majlis, which subsequently referred the matter for a decision.

In its letter to the Majlis, requesting a decision on the dismissal of Judge Hussain Faaiz Rashaad, the JSC stated that a misconduct case had been filed with the commission alleging that the judge acted contrary to the Constitution and laws in determining the detention of Ali Anwar Mohamed from S. Hithadhoo Cozy Corner. The commission's investigative committee found the allegations against the judge in this matter to be substantiated.

The JSC's letter further requested the Majlis to adopt the commission's report and to decide on dismissing the judge, as his actions were found to be in violation of Article 142 of the Constitution, Article 33 (b) of the Judges Act, and the Code of Judicial Conduct, under the Judicial Service Commission Act.

Upon receiving the JSC's decision, the Majlis referred the matter to its Judiciary Committee for further review last Monday.

In yesterday's Judiciary Committee meeting, while proposing to send the matter to the Majlis floor for a decision, Ashraf Rasheed, PNC member for Faresmaathodaa constituency, stated that Majlis Rule 230 (N) dictates the committee's role is to ascertain whether the JSC acted contrary to procedures in the matter of dismissing Judge Faaiz. He noted that no such procedural irregularity had been observed so far. He further added that there was no knowledge of Judge Faaiz, or any official party on his behalf, having lodged a complaint regarding any procedural violations, hence his proposal to send the matter to the Majlis floor for a decision.

Ashraf's proposal was seconded by Ismail Nizar, member for Feydhoo North constituency.

The proposal was unanimously approved by the members present at the committee meeting.

Following the committee's decision being submitted to the Majlis floor, during today's Majlis session, 56 out of the 65 members present from the PNC voted in favor of dismissing Judge Faaiz. Eight members from the opposition MDP voted against his dismissal.

Previously, in November 2021, the JSC had also suspended Faaiz. On that occasion, he was suspended after an audio recording was leaked, in which he allegedly stated that the judges who presided over the case that led to the imprisonment of former President Abdulla Yameen were "held hostage."