Parliamentary committee approves deductions to judges’ pay

The Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee, on Monday, voted in favor of docking the salary of judges and magistrates.

The committee has made the decision to impose cuts of the salaries of all officials who earn above MVR 20,000 and whose appointment needs to be approved by the Parliament.

The committee voted to cut the salary of those who earn between MVR 20,001 to MVR 30,000 by 20 percent, MVR 30,001 to MVR 60,000 by 30 percent, and MVR 65,001 and above by 35 percent.

It is consistent with the changes to the pay of public servants announced by the Finance Ministry.

And because the deductions will result in low-ranking judges earning more than higher-ranking judges, the committee voted to cut the salary of judges who work at the Criminal Court, Civil Court, Family Court, Drug Court, Juvenile Court and magistrate courts by fixed amounts.

The motion to make the change was raised by Dhaandhoo MP Abdulla Yauqoob and seconded by Thimarafushi MP Abdulla Riyaz. It passed with the unanimous consensus of the members who attended the meeting.

As such, the committee voted to cut MVR 7,100 from the salary of the chief judge of Criminal Court, and MVR 6,300 from the salary of the rest of the judges at the court; MVR 8,600 from the salary of the chief judge of Drug Court, and MVR 7,800 from the salary of the rest of the judges at the court; MVR 6,950 from the salary of the chief judges of Civil Court and Juvenile Court, and MVR 6,150 from the salary of the rest of the judges at the courts; MVR 6,950 from the salary of the chief judge of Family Court, and MVR 6,650 from the salary of the rest of the judges at the court; and MVR 4,500 from the salary of chief magistrates of judicial districts, and MVR 2,150 from the salary of chief magistrates of individual courts. Salary cuts will not be imposed on other magistrates.

The cuts will be imposed of the salaries for the months of May, June and July, after which the committee will conduct another review and make its decision.