Former judge Abdulla Rauf Ibrahim and Criminal Court Judge Ismail Shafeeu have been officially appointed to the High Court bench.

Following the recruitment announcement by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC), 19 candidates applied for the vacant positions. The application window was opened on December 14 last year and concluded on December 21.

At a meeting held last Monday, the JSC decided to select Rauf and Shafeeu for the appointments.

The two judges were officially appointed at a ceremony held by the JSC last night. The oath of office was administered by Supreme Court Justice Abdulla Hameed.

The vacancies on the High Court bench were created following the retirement of long-serving Judge Mohamed Niyaz on December 9 and the resignation of Judge Mohamed Faisal in November last year.

Judge Rauf, one of the newly appointed members, had previously resigned from the judiciary while a disciplinary case was pending against him. He also contested the 19th Parliamentary Elections for the Keyodhoo constituency on a PNC ticket, though he was unsuccessful in that election bid.