According to the Department of Judicial Administration (DJA), the recently enacted code of conduct forbids workers of the judicial service from taking active roles in political activities. This prohibition was just put into effect.
The portion of the code of conduct that had previously prohibited personnel of the judicial service from taking part in political activities has been abolished as part of the newly adopted code. As a result of this, stories that were published in the local media claimed that workers of the court service are now permitted to participate in political activities.
In reaction to claims in the media, the Department of Judicial Administration (DJA) has issued a statement explaining that judicial staff are still expected to entirely abstain from political engagement in order to perform their duty. This statement was issued in response to the reports. The DJ Association stated that this prerequisite has not been modified in any way in the new code of conduct either.
DJA’s new rule of behavior doesn’t let them get involved in politics:
The Judicial Branch Personnel Association (DJA) pointed out that the chapter of the code of conduct that was removed does not prohibit judicial personnel from being general members of a political party or from voting in the primaries or internal elections of a political party. Both of these activities are permitted.
The authorities highlighted that workers of the court service are completely forbidden from engaging in any actions that may create issues about their impartiality, and they are not allowed to engage in any such activities. This restriction does not just include acts of a political nature; it also applies to some activities of a social nature.
DJA stated that the new code of conduct was adopted to improve and maintain the public’s faith in the Maldivian judiciary and that it removed various hindrances generated due to the 2011 legislation. This statement was made in response to a question regarding why the new code of conduct was implemented.
