Supreme Court Justices Dr Azmiralda Zahir and Justice Mahaz Ali Zahir have been formally removed from office following a parliamentary vote, after being found guilty of misconduct.

In separate votes, 68 lawmakers voted in favour of dismissing each judge, following the Judiciary Committee's review of the matter and endorsement of the Judicial Service Commission’s (JSC) recommendation.

The JSC had concluded that both judges violated judicial ethics and the Constitution by influencing a lower court judgeto release Dr Azmiralda’s husband, Dr Ismail Latheef, from custody. The incident involved alleged pressure on Judge Ibrahim Zihunee, who had initially ordered the remand of Dr Latheef on April 4, 2025.

The Constitution allows for the removal of a judge only if the JSC finds them incompetent or guilty of misconduct, and if a two-thirds majority of members present in Parliament support the motion. That threshold was met in both votes.

The Judiciary Committee confirmed that no procedural violations occurred during the dismissal process. Lawmakers broadly agreed that the judges' conduct undermined judicial integrity and warranted removal.