Judges should at all times uphold the reputation of the Judiciary- Supreme Court

The Supreme Court of Maldives has issued a statement saying that it is upon every single Judge to uphold the reputation of the Judiciary at all times.

The Supreme Court said that all judges avoid every matter that might cause people to lose confidence in the judiciary of the country. The statement said that judges should not make any statement or do anything that could harm the reputation of the judiciary and cause people lose confidence in the judiciary.

Supreme Court’s statement also said that it was against the constitution of Maldives for lower courts to disobey a verdict delivered by a superior court. The statement added that the Judges Act mentions that all judges should follow the constitution when making any decisions.

“Therefore, since it is against the constitution for the judges of the lower courts to disobey the decisions made by a superior court, it should be noted that this is also against the code of conduct of the judges,” the statement of the Supreme Court said.

The Supreme Court reiterated that the Code of Conduct of the Judges states that the judges should observe high standards of conduct so that the integrity and independence of the Judiciary are preserved.

The statement said that the Code of Conduct provides guidance for judges on issues of judicial integrity and independence, judicial diligence and impartiality, and the avoidance of impropriety or even its appearance.

The Supreme Court reminded all judges that the code is "binding" on judges, and violating it can result in disciplinary action.