The Supreme Court of the Maldives has ruled that Mohamed Sinan, the Member of Parliament representing the Hithadhoo North constituency, has lost his seat in the People’s Majlis.
The case was submitted to the apex court by Ghalib Saleem, seeking to have Sinan’s seat declared vacant on the grounds that he had failed to comply with a prior court order related to a financial obligation. The dispute stems from an October 2024 ruling that required Sinan to repay MVR 2.5 million tied to a loan obtained from the Maldives Islamic Bank, along with another individual.
Delivering the judgment, Justice Aisha Shujoon Mohamed, who presided over the bench, stated that although a lower court had allowed the debt to be settled through monthly installments over six months, evidence showed that Sinan failed to meet these obligations. The court also dismissed his claim that he had not been aware of the verdict, noting that official records confirmed he had been duly notified.
“There is no legal basis to accept the claim that the respondent was unaware of the judgment or had not received it,” Justice Shujoon said during the hearing.
The court further rejected Sinan’s argument that the ruling should not be considered final because it was issued in his absence. According to the judgment, this did not invalidate the order. It was also noted that while Sinan had initially appointed legal representation in the original case filed at the S. Hithadhoo Court, his lawyer withdrew after the deadline to submit a defense had passed.
In its findings, the court emphasized several key points, including that failure to make court-ordered payments constitutes non-compliance with a legal judgment, regardless of whether the debt is backed by collateral. The presence of pledged assets, the court stated, does not exempt an individual from fulfilling payment obligations.
Sinan’s legal team had argued that the loan could be recovered through collateral, and therefore his parliamentary seat should not be affected. However, the court clarified that constitutional provisions regarding the loss of a parliamentary seat are triggered by failure to comply with a court-ordered debt, irrespective of any guarantees attached to the loan.
The case was heard by a full bench comprising Justice Aisha Shujoon Mohamed, Justice Ali Rashid Hussain, Justice Dr. Mohamed Ibrahim, Justice Hussain Shaheed, and Justice Mohamed Saleem.
The ruling effectively brings an end to Sinan’s tenure in parliament, leaving the Hithadhoo North seat vacant pending further procedures.
