Applications for the post of President of bar council have been opened on Thursday.

The application process for the post of bar council president was opened following the death of Ismail Visham, who held the post.

According to a notification issued by the Bar Council in the Government Gazette, the elections to select the vacant posts of the Executive Committee of the Bar Council such as the post of President of the Bar Council and members of the Executive Committee will be held on March 17.

"The application form and material for membership of the Executive Committee of the Bar Council shall be submitted to the Bar Council. These items will be accepted from 9 am to 3 pm on all days except official holidays from Sunday, February 18, 2024 to February 22, 2024," the Bar Council said.

Eligibility criteria for the post of Bar Council President:

  • 10 years of experience working as a lawyer
  • not to have been proved by a court of law or the Bar Council in a matter which raises questions about one's integrity in the course of his work in the field of law
  • not to be legally bound or not to have been convicted of a criminal offence

Those who wish to apply for the election to elect members to the vacant posts of the Executive Committee of the Bar Council, if they intend to use a special logo/symbol in the election along with the application form, the sign/logo, the debt record completed by the Department of Judicial Administration and The Maldives Correctional Service, the form that has been cleared of the criminal record, and the passport of the candidate. A photo (soft copy) should be submitted, the notification said.

According to the notification, the Bar Council will have to pay MVR 5,000 as administrative fee along with the forms and documents of those appointed as representatives of the candidate.