Chief Justice Abdul Ghanee Mohamed has said the new Magistrate Courts Regulations will substantially strengthen the administration of proceedings in magistrate courts.
He made the remarks at the opening ceremony of a training programme for magistrate court employees on the new regulations, held in Gan, Laamu Atoll.
Speaking at the ceremony, Chief Justice Abdul Ghanee said developing the judicial sector and making justice more easily accessible to the public have always remained a key objective. He described the new regulations as a strong foundation for achieving that objective.
He said the regulations would make the administration of magistrate court proceedings substantially more robust and organised than before. They would also speed up court services and further strengthen public confidence in the justice system.
The Chief Justice said one of the major challenges identified in the past was that magistrate courts on different islands followed different practices. These differences involved the registration of cases, procedures for conducting court proceedings and the collection of administrative fees.
He said the new regulations would address these differences by standardising procedures across magistrate courts throughout the country.
“One of the biggest challenges we previously identified was that magistrate courts on different islands followed different practices in registering cases, conducting court proceedings and collecting administrative fees,” Chief Justice Abdul Ghanee said.
“However, these new regulations will bring an end to all these differences. The different practices followed by individual courts will be standardised, and every magistrate court across the country will operate under the same procedures.”
He said standardising procedures across magistrate courts would benefit members of the public seeking court services.
The Magistrate Courts Regulations will take effect on 1 October. The Chief Justice said the positive changes brought by the regulations would become evident once they come into force.
He also called on every employee to work in accordance with the spirit of the new regulations and provide services to the public with fairness, efficiency and compassion.
Chief Justice Abdul Ghanee said the new Magistrate Courts Regulations would end an 18-year-long gap.